Nagpur: Maharashtra BJP President Bawankule’s Son in Audi Hits Multiple Vehicles, Driver Arrested

Reported by Tikam Shekhawat

Nagpur, 9th September 2024: A luxury car belonging to Sanket Bawankule, son of Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, was involved in a series of collisions in Nagpur’s Ramdaspeth area during the early hours of Monday. The car, which hit several vehicles, led to the arrest of the driver, with his blood samples being taken for medical tests to determine if he was under the influence of alcohol.

The accident took place around 1 a.m. when the Audi, carrying five passengers, including Sanket Bawankule, collided with a car driven by Jitendra Sonkamble. After hitting Sonkamble’s vehicle, the Audi struck a moped, leaving two riders injured.

“The Audi continued to hit more vehicles while heading towards Mankapur. At a T-point, it collided with a Polo car. The occupants of the Polo chased the Audi and managed to stop it near Mankapur bridge. At that point, three people, including Sanket Bawankule, fled the scene,” a police officer said.

The driver, identified as Arjun Hawre, and another passenger, Ronit Chittamwar, were caught by the occupants of the Polo and handed over to the authorities. According to the police, the group was returning from a bar in Dharampeth at the time of the incident.

A senior officer confirmed that a case of rash driving and related offenses was registered based on Sonkamble’s complaint. “Hawre has been arrested, and his blood samples have been sent for testing to check for alcohol consumption,” the officer added.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule addressed the media later, acknowledging that the car was indeed registered in his son’s name. “I fully support a transparent and impartial investigation. The law should be applied equally, and those responsible must face the consequences. I have not spoken to any police officers regarding the case,” Bawankule stated.

Opposition leader and Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe expressed concerns about the handling of the incident. “Why is it that the life of an ordinary citizen is treated differently than that of someone from a political family? We’ve heard that the number plate of the car was removed and placed inside the vehicle. Some victims of the crash are afraid to file complaints, and there are questions about whether proper medical tests were conducted. We also need to establish Sanket Bawankule’s whereabouts after the accident,” Londhe remarked.