Treat drunken driving cases as culpable homicide: HC

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the investigating agencies and magistrate courts in Tamil Nadu to treat such cases as culpable homicide not amounting to murder under IPC 304 (ii).

Observing that accident cases as a result of drunken driving were being treated as ‘negligence’ and dealt with leniently, it said trial courts while dealing with such cases should keep in mind that the punishment imposed would have to be detriment not only to the accused but others likely to commit such an offence.

Justice M M Sundresh said he was constrained to direct the investigating agencies and magistrate courts in Tamil Nadu to register cases under 304(ii) if it were found that death was caused by drunken driving.

The court granted conditional bail to M Ramesh, who while driving his car here on January 26
allegedly under the influence of liquor crossed the ‘yellow’ line and hit two motorcycles and an autorickshaw went on to kill one person.