Bombay High Court Grants Bail To IIM Graduate Booked For Drunk Driving; Orders Him To Man Traffic, Display Placard 'Don't Drink & Drive'

In an interesting bail order, the Bombay High Court on Thursday while granting bail to a 'highly educated' man jailed for drunk driving, ordered him to perform community service by manning traffic in the busy junction at Mumbai's plush Worli area for three months (12 Saturdays and 12 Sundays), with a placard in his hand reading "Don't Drink & Drive."Single-judge Justice Milind Jadhav noted that the applicant Sabyasachi Nishank, was working as a Senior Vice President in a NBFC namely Centrum Wealth Limited, his father was a retired officer of Reserve Bank of India and his mother a business woman. "It is prima facie seen that Applicant is a MBA from Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow. He is 32 years old, unmarried. He is in custody for almost 2 months. He comes from a good family is what I gather after interacting with his mother who is present in Court. His further incarceration is not warranted considering his future prospects and the fact that he is young and highly educated," Justice Jadhav said in the order. However, the judge also noted the fact that Nishank was driving in a negligent manner in an inebriated state and disobeyed directions of the Police Officer, who was on the night duty on November 28, 2024 and also caused damage to public property (barricades). "Due to his inebriated state, it is evident that he did not want to get apprehended and therefore evaded," the judge opined while granting him bail on a surety of Rs 1 lakh.However, the judge while noting that the applicant did not obey the orders of the officer to stop his vehicle and damaged the barricades at two checkpoints, its ordered him to pay Rs 50,000 to the Police Welfare Fund.Further, the bench ordered Nishank to perform community service by manning traffic at the Worli's busy road junction on 12 Saturdays and 12 Sundays for a period of 3 months, from 7 PM to 10 PM."The Traffic Officer shall depute the Applicant to stand at a particularly visible well-lit place on the footpath of the said junction facing the road for a period of three hours between 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm on every Saturday and Sunday for a period of three months (i.e. for 12 Saturdays and 12 Sundays) by holding a flex banner (black lettering and white background) admeasuring 4 feet X 3 feet (which shall be prepared by him at the instruction of the Traffic Officer) in his hands which shall state the words “Don't Drink and Drive” in bold and big font along with coloured graphic," the judge ordered. This, the bench explained, is to create and spread awareness and message about the ills of drinking and driving and its harmful effects. The concerned Traffic Police Officer has been ordered to prepare a report of compliance of the Applicant undergoing the community service and submit the same before the Court after three months;Appearance:Advocate Sachin Dhakephalkar appeared for the Applicant.Additional Public Prosecutor Dinesh Haldankar represented the State.Case Title: Sabyasachi Nishank vs State of Maharashtra (Bail Application 5341 of 2024)Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Bom) 32Click Here To Read/Download Order

Bombay High Court Grants Bail To IIM Graduate Booked For Drunk Driving; Orders Him To Man Traffic, Display Placard 'Don't Drink & Drive'

Narsi Benwal

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