Abetting drunken driving is punishable by
law according to Motor Vehicles Act section
188. A fine of Rs.2000 or/and six months imprisonment
and also the driving license could be suspended
for a period of six months minimum.
In Mumbai last week a driver and the passenger
of a Maruti Swift were caught on charges of
drunken driving and abetting drunk driving
respectively. They were fined Rs.2000 and
sentenced to one day imprisonment. Yogesh
Bhior and Lokesh Gholap are residents of Thane,
the two were drunk of February 4 and were
tested positive by the breath analyser.
According to Harish Baijal,
DCP (traffic) this is the first time such
action has been taken again co-passenger
for abetting drunk driving. .
Though, not all co-passengers
can be charged of abetting drunk driving.
They can be booked only if they actively
participated in the case said Y P Singh,
a former IPS officer turned lawyer.
Abetting drunk driving is defined by IPS
as “Abetment is when a person instigates
the accused to commit a crime, or aids him
to do it, or when there's a criminal conspiracy.
Mere knowledge of the offence can't be termed
as abetment. These three conditions have
to be satisfied.” |
