india

Updated: Aug 16, 2019 12:34 IST

The 20-year-old son of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajya Sabha lawmaker Roopa Ganguly was arrested for rash driving after he rammed his car into a wall in south Kolkata’s Golf Garden on Thursday, officials said.

Akash Mukhopadhyay will be produced at Alipore court later on Friday, according to officials. Locals alleged was he was drunk at the time of the accident, a charge denied by his lawyer and father.

“There was no proof of consumption of alcohol in the medical test. It was a case of mechanical failure,” his lawyer Dibyendu Bhattacharya said.

“He was balanced and was speaking coherently. His limbs were shaking,” his father Dhruba Mukhopadhyay said while speaking to the media.

Akash had smashed his black sedan through the wall on Thursday night. He was unhurt and locals said a few people present at the spot also narrowly escaped injuries.

“The vehicle was moving very fast. We suspect the person at the wheel could have been in an inebriated state,” said a local resident, who refused to be identified.

Residents and local councillor Archana Sengupta said Akash, who was alone in the car, was helped by Dhruba Mukhopadhyay out of the vehicle after the accident. He lives nearby.

“It was sheer good luck that no lives were lost. There is a bustee close to the accident spot and children play there. Locals told me that two children were playing and a few youths were chatting close by when the car crashed into the wall,” said local councillor Archana Sengupta.

“The person driving the car also escaped unhurt. The front of the vehicle was completely destroyed. Locals were enraged after the accident. They told me that he has a habit of driving very fast,” added Sengupta, who reached the spot after the accident.

Roopa Ganguly, who is also an actor, posted about “such stupid comments by the media” on the accident in a series of tweets.

“My son has met with an accident near my residence. I called police to care of it with all legal implications. No favours/politics plz, Law should take its own course (sic),” tweeted Roopa Ganguly.

My son has met with an accident near MY RESIDENCE.

I called police to tke care of it with all legal implications

No favours/ politics plz.



I love my son & will tk cr of him BUT, LAW SHOULD TAKE ITS OWN COURSE. न मै घलत करती हूं, न मै सेहेती हू @narendramodi

मै बिकाऊ नही हूँ — Roopa Ganguly (@RoopaSpeaks) August 15, 2019

“How funny.. i spoke to him in the afternoon.. discussed about his lunch and other basic things at 3pm.. now i get to hear such stupid comments by the media. He just left this morning by 7.50 flight.. what sort of political rubbish is this ? (sic)” she also posted while elaborating.