Gynaecologist Dr Anahita Pandole, who was booked on the charge of rash driving that resulted in the death of industrialist Cyrus Mistry, has a history of traffic rules violations and was issued challans for over-speeding on several occasions since 2020, a police official said on Thursday. The police in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, who are investigating the Mistry car accident case, have found this during their investigation.
Former Tata Sons chairman Mistry (54) and his friend Jehangir Pandole were killed after the Mercedes-Benz car hit the railing of the Surya river bridge in Palghar district on September 4 this year. Dr Anahita, who was at the wheel, and her husband Darius suffered serious injuries in the accident. All of them were returning to Mumbai from Ahmedabad.
The police official said that during the probe, it was found that the car was involved in violation of various traffic-related norms in the past. "There were at least seven instances in which Dr Anahita was found behind the wheel and over-speeding, which was captured on speed cameras," Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said. These instances were from 2020 till the day of the accident in September 2022, he said, adding the e-challans against her will now be made part of the charge sheet.
"Those challans were issued for over-speeding involving the same car that was involved in the Palghar accident," he said.
The car was registered in the name of J M Financials and was used by Anahita Pandole, the official said. Patil said the Palghar Police would submit the charge sheet in the case by the end of this week before the local court, he said. "Police have not recorded Dr Anahita's statement in connection with the accident so far," he said.
The Palghar Police had registered a case of rash driving against Dr Anahita in November. A case under Indian Penal Code sections 304 (A) (causing death by rash and negligent act), 279 (rash driving on a public road) and 337 (causing death by act endangering life and personal safety of others) besides the Motor Vehicles Act was registered at Kasa police station.