Daijiworld Media Network - Kanpur
Kanpur, Feb 12: Police on Thursday arrested Shivam Mishra, son of tobacco industrialist KK Mishra, in connection with the high-profile Lamborghini crash that left six persons injured and damaged multiple vehicles in the upscale Gwaltoli area of the city.
The accident took place around 3 pm on February 8 on VIP Road when a Lamborghini Revuelto — a luxury Italian supercar valued at over Rs 10 crore — allegedly rammed into pedestrians and other vehicles before mounting a divider and coming to a halt.
An FIR was initially registered against an unidentified driver based on a complaint filed by one of the injured, 18-year-old e-rickshaw driver Mohd Taufeeq. The FIR was later amended to name Shivam, 35, as the accused.
Shivam was produced before a Kanpur court, which remanded him to police custody. During the hearing, officials stated that he was arrested for non-cooperation in the investigation and for evading the police.
The case took a dramatic turn when a man identified as Mohan, claiming to be the designated driver, asserted that he — not Shivam — was driving the car at the time of the crash. Speaking to reporters outside the court, Mohan alleged that Shivam, who was seated beside him, suffered a sudden seizure moments before the accident.
“I was driving when he suddenly collapsed on me. I panicked and tried to hold him with one hand. The car first hit a three-wheeler, climbed the divider and then stopped,” Mohan claimed. He further alleged that the car’s automatic locking system delayed his exit and that he later shifted Shivam to the driver’s seat before stepping out.
Mohan moved a surrender application and appeared before the court on Wednesday. However, the Gwaltoli police did not name him as an accused in their report. Taking note of the police stand, the court refused to accept his surrender and sought a detailed report from the local police station.
Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and other material evidence indicate that Shivam was driving at the time of the crash. Senior officers also referred to videos purportedly showing bystanders pulling a man believed to be Shivam from the driver’s seat immediately after the accident.
The luxury car has been seized and sent for forensic examination.
Meanwhile, the defence has claimed that the complainant no longer wishes to pursue the case. Shivam’s lawyer, Dharmendra Singh, said Taufeeq had reached a mutual settlement and did not want to initiate legal proceedings. He also alleged that Mohan was driving and had paid compensation towards the victim’s medical expenses and losses.
Sources said Taufeeq was called to the Gwaltoli police station on the day of the accident, where a written settlement was reportedly signed in the presence of then station house officer Santosh Kumar Gaur. The SHO was subsequently removed from charge and sent to police lines. Senior officials declined to comment on the alleged settlement.
Earlier, Shivam’s father had told police that a driver was behind the wheel. He later revised his statement, saying he did not know who was driving and that the matter required investigation. He also claimed the vehicle had developed a technical snag a day prior and was taken out for a test drive after repairs.
According to KK Mishra, Shivam began losing consciousness while returning from Civil Lines, following which the driver slowed down and an autorickshaw allegedly struck the car. Security personnel in an accompanying SUV reportedly broke the window to rescue him.
The family has maintained that Shivam suffers from epilepsy and is undergoing treatment in Delhi, while denying allegations of speeding or intoxication. Police, however, have rejected those claims, reiterating that technical and visual evidence places Shivam behind the wheel at the time of the crash.