Court rejects Bikram's plea of 'discharge from sections'

Kolkata: The Alipore Court on Tuesday rejected actor Bikram Chatterjee's application pleading "discharge" from "the sections charged" against him, in connection with the death of celebrated model Sonika Chauhan.

It may be recalled that Sonika was killed in a car accident near a mall on Rashbehari Avenue connector on April 29 in 2017. Bikram was driving the car.

Sanjay Basu, the lawyer for Sonika's family, said: "The court upheld that the driver had the best knowledge regarding skill and capacity of driving at more than 100 kmph on such roads and the driver definitely had knowledge that such speed will endanger the life of the person riding in the car with him." The charges will be framed against Bikram on December 3.

It may be mentioned that the police had filed chargesheet in this connection on July 19 in 2017. Bikram was booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 304 IPC), causing death by negligence (304A), rash driving or riding on a public way (279 IPC), causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others (338 IPC) and for damaging property (427 IPC). He was also booked under section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Bikram was arrested on July 7 and was later released on bail.

The actor had filed an application before the court for discharge from the sections. Both the state and Sonika's counsels had opposed the same.

It has also been stated by the court that it appears from the forensic report that the speed of the vehicle was 105 kmph. According to the official gazette of the Kolkata Police published on October 5 in 2015, the speed limit for 24 hours on Rashbehari Avenue is 40 kmph. So the car was moving at a "very high speed, violating the restriction".