'No relief to bus driver for causing death of 7 persons,' SC declines plea against conviction

A bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and Prasanna B Varale said the court was not inclined to interfere in the concurrent findings of facts recorded in the impugned judgments convicting the petitioner, Hanumanth Achari and affirming his conviction.

The petitioner stood convicted for the offences punishable under Sections 304A, 279, 337,338 IPC and Section 183 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.

He was awarded sentence for one year rigorous imprisonment on the count of Section 304A IPC and one month each for other counts under the Indian Penal code.

The petitioner challenged the validity of the April 15, 2025 judgment passed by the Karnataka High Court's circuit bench at Dharwad.

"We have heard the submissions advanced by counsel for the petitioner, and have carefully gone through the impugned judgment and the material placed on record. On the fateful day, the petitioner was driving bus of the KSRTC which collided with the tempo trax vehicle, resulting into death of 7 persons and injuries being caused to other passengers," the bench said.

The court noted the first appellate court and the high court had appreciated and re-appreciated the evidence and had reached to the conclusion that it was the petitioner, who drove the bus in a rash and negligent manner, which caused the accident and resulted into loss of 7 precious human lives.

"Thus, we are not inclined to interfere in the concurrent findings of facts recorded in the impugned judgments convicting the petitioner as above and affirming his conviction. The Special Leave Petition, being devoid of merit, is hereby dismissed," the bench said.

The court also dismissed the application filed by him from exemption from surrender.

It directed the petitioner to surrender within a period of four weeks, failing which the trial court would take appropriate steps to have him arrested for serving out the sentences.