delhi

Updated: Nov 28, 2018 08:47 IST

Most drunk motorists are often seen pleading with the traffic police to be let off, but in a rather unusual case, a man chose to get away by snatching the alcometer from a policeman. The bizarre incident took place in Connaught Place late Friday night after a traffic police head constable allegedly detected the man driving drunk.

“The traffic police had noted the last four digits of the Maruti Swift car’s registration number. That helped us reach the suspect’s Noida residence. But he had already left for London on a professional tour,” said an investigator.

“The suspect has been identified as Rishi Dhingra, an employee of a private firm. We have seized the black Maruti Swift he drove at the time of the crime. But he told us that he had thrown away the alcometer soon after fleeing from the police check post,” said Madhur Verma, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi).

The incident happened around 11.40 pm when three traffic policemen were checking drunk drivers at a picket near Barakhamba Road, close to the M-Block of Connaught Place.

“A head constable stopped the Swift car and asked the driver to blow into the alcometer. When the policeman found that the driver was drunk, he asked him to pull aside,” said another investigator.

The driver pretended to park on the roadside, but suddenly reached out for the alcometer in the policeman’s hand. The alcometer had the reading of the alcohol content in his blood.

“He placed the alcometer on his side seat and sped away,” said the officer, adding that he could only note down the last four digits of the vehicle’s registration number. The local police were alerted and a case of theft and obstructing a public servant from performing duty was registered at Connaught Place police station.

If caught for drunk driving in Delhi, the offender can be jailed for up to six months, fined Rs 2,000, or both. If the motorist is caught again within three years, he can be jailed for two years, fined Rs 3,000 or be given both punishments. In the recent years, the police have also been seizing the driving licences of the offenders for three months.