Mercedes crash in Nagpur: Woman driver surrenders before police

Nagpur: A woman accused of mowing down two men while driving her Mercedes car under the influence of alcohol more than four months ago in Maharashtra's Nagpur city has surrendered before police, officials said.

Ritika alias Ritu Maloo on Monday walked into a city police station where she was formally arrested in the evening after questioning, they said.

Late last month, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court refused pre-arrest bail to the woman, saying no prudent person drives under the influence of alcohol and termed it as a serious misconduct.

The incident took place on Ram Jhula bridge on February 25 when Maloo drove her car recklessly allegedly under the influence of alcohol and crashed into two men on a scooter.

Both riders, Mohd Hussain Gulam Mustafa and Mohd Ateef Mohd Zia, sustained fatal injuries in the crash.

Maloo was initially booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving and causing hurt to a person by a rash act.

Later, additional criminal charges were slapped against her by the police after public outcry and given the severity of the crash.

The woman was initially granted bail. The police, however, later sought to arrest Maloo again, prompting her to move the HC for pre-arrest bail.

She will be produced in a local court on Tuesday, according to the police.