MUMBAI: A sessions court on Wednesday granted bail to the father of a 17-year-old accused of ramming an SUV into a scooter in Ghatkopar, an accident that killed 33-year-old businessman Dhrumil Patel.
While granting relief, the court observed that prima facie evidence suggested the father did not know that his son had taken the vehicle at the time of the incident.
“Considering the nature and gravity of the offence and the role of the accused, I find that the accused can be released on bail upon certain terms and conditions,” sessions judge R. M. Jadhav said. The court added that appropriate conditions could address the prosecution’s concerns.
During the hearing, the defence claimed that during a community-led meeting the accused had offered ₹40 lakh to cover medical expenses, while the victim’s family allegedly demanded a settlement of ₹15 crore. The accused also stated that a formal police complaint had been filed regarding the alleged demand. The court, however, declined to comment on the claims of settlement negotiations at this stage.
The case was registered by Tilak Nagar police based on a complaint filed by the victim’s uncle, Mahesh Patel. Investigations revealed that the SUV involved in the accident was allegedly being driven by the minor.
The crash occurred near Somaiya College in Vidyavihar on February 5, 2026, killing Dhrumil Patel and leaving his wife, Meenal Patel, seriously injured.
Police later arrested the teenager and his father, alleging that the father had allowed his underage son to drive the vehicle. The father was taken into custody on February 10 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act for allegedly permitting a minor without a valid licence to operate the car.
Opposing bail, the prosecution and an intervening lawyer cited videos from the teenager’s Instagram account that allegedly showed him performing dangerous stunts, including riding a motorcycle on one wheel and driving a car while hanging out of the window.
They argued that the posts indicated the father was aware of his son’s reckless driving habits. It was also alleged that the family attempted to settle the matter by offering ₹40 lakh to the victim’s family and that some social media content was deleted while the father was in custody.
The defence, however, maintained that the father had no knowledge of his son taking the vehicle that night. A security guard at the family’s residence supported this claim, stating that the father had parked the car and handed over the keys at around 9.30 pm, after which the teenager allegedly took the keys from the guard without his father’s permission.
The court noted that the key issue was whether the father had specifically allowed his son to take the vehicle at the time of the incident.
“Prima facie, the material on record goes to show that the accused did not have knowledge that his son had taken the vehicle at the time of the incident,” the judge observed.
As part of the bail conditions, the father has been barred from entering the Ghatkopar area until the trial concludes. He must also surrender his passport and report to the Tilak Nagar police station twice a week for one month.
