CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly condemned drunk driving, calling it a serious threat to public safety that “strikes at the very root of societal order,” and refused to grant bail to a truck driver accused of fatally hitting an MBBS student while driving under the influence two years ago.
Justice Sumeet Goel, while denying bail to the accused, said such offences must be dealt with sternly and that any leniency could send the wrong message and encourage others to engage in similarly dangerous behavior.
“A person who chooses to drive under the influence of alcohol does not merely endanger his own life but recklessly imperils the lives of innocent citizens using the road,” the court observed in its recent order.
The case involves truck driver Jagtar Singh, who allegedly drove under the influence of alcohol and rammed into a parked car at high speed, killing a medical student. He was initially caught at the scene but managed to escape, later being taken into custody and remanded to jail. An FIR was registered on November 1, 2023, in Patiala, based on a complaint by the victim’s father.
Jagtar Singh had applied for regular bail, arguing that he had been in custody for over a year and that the police had already filed the chargesheet (challan). However, the state opposed the bail plea, warning that the accused might try to influence or intimidate witnesses if released.
Taking into account the severity of the offence, the manner in which it was committed, and its broader impact on society, Justice Goel held that these factors must outweigh the accused’s plea for liberty.
“Though the challan has been presented and 14 prosecution witnesses are yet to be examined, the state’s concern that the petitioner may attempt to influence or intimidate witnesses if released cannot be dismissed lightly,” the court said, rejecting the bail plea.
