A fatal road accident involving a luxury Aston Martin near Inorbit Mall in Hyderabad has attracted widespread attention after police said the initial alcohol and drug screening of the 21-year-old driver, Lingamaneni Sanjush, a former college student, was negative. Sanjush is the son of Andhra Pradesh YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Rajya Sabha MP Lingamaneni Ramesh. The accident, which took place on August 16, killed 26-year-old sales executive Bharathi Mukhi.
The high-end luxury vehicle Sanjush was driving at excessive speed and in a negligent manner when it struck Bharathi Mukhi, police said. The young woman was critically injured. She was taken to Apollo Hospital for treatment, but doctors later declared her dead. The incident has raised questions about road safety, speeding, and accountability in high-end vehicles.
Police officials said the initial alcohol screening after the accident was negative. A preliminary drug screening was also negative. But authorities have not regarded the initial results as the final word on whether the driver was under the influence of any substance at the time of the crash. A blood sample was collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for detailed analysis as part of the ongoing investigation.
The Aston Martin involved in the accident has been seized by police. The MVI will also give technical information about the vehicle and the collision, investigators hope. The mechanical inspection will also help investigators determine if any technical issues were found and to identify what was involved in the accident.
A case has been registered against Sanjush under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to causing death by negligence. Police have also issued him a notice under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), directing him to cooperate with the investigation. The procedure in the case was based on legal provisions and Supreme Court guidelines, authorities said.
A senior police official stated that no external pressure influenced the decision to issue the notice rather than immediately taking more severe action. The police have said the investigation would be under the direction of the law and that evidence gathered from the accident scene, medical examinations, forensic analysis, and vehicle inspection will be considered before any further decisions are made.
Bharathi Mukhi’s death has brought a very personal dimension to the case. The 26-year-old, who was originally from Odisha, was the only earning member of her family. Her body was given to her brother and sent to her home region after her post-mortem examination. Her death has led to emotional and financial hardship for her family members, and demands have emerged for appropriate compensation for her relatives.
The Aston Martin ownership has also attracted some attention. Police have found that the vehicle was not registered in Sanjush’s name. Investigators are to examine the ownership records and determine why he was driving the car at the time of the accident. Details about ownership and authorisation will be part of the larger probe.
Sanjush, however, has claimed he did not leave the scene after the accident. According to his story, he helped take the injured woman to the hospital and then cooperated with the police. His account will be looked into in conjunction with CCTV footage, eyewitness testimony, and other evidence gathered by investigators.
The case has generated much public interest because of the involvement of the son of a sitting Rajya Sabha MP and the use of a high-performance luxury car. But police officials have maintained that the investigation is based on evidence, not on the social or political background of the individuals involved.
The final FSL report is expected to be significant in determining whether any alcohol or drugs were present in Sanjush’s system at the time of the crash. Likewise, the MVI report and other technical evidence could help establish the speed and condition of the vehicle and reconstruct the sequence of events.
So far, the investigators are working to determine how the fatal collision occurred and who is to be held responsible. But for Bharathi Mukhi’s family, losing a young woman who was, they said, their primary source of income has been an irreversible tragedy.
