Drunken driving has become a menace and causes colossal loss to the economy, a Delhi court has said while dismissing an appeal by a man held guilty of driving in an inebriated condition.
"Drunken driving has become a menace, which may cause injuries, disabilities, fatalities having devastating effect on the victims and their kin. It also causes colossal loss in terms of economy of State," District and Sessions Judge Rekha Rani said while upholding the three-day jail term awarded to him by a magisterial court.
"The appellant was not only badly drunk, exceeding the prescribed limit under the Motor Vehicle Act by over 17 times but he was also driving the vehicle without insurance which is an aggravating factor," the judge said.
According to the prosecution, the appellant was driving a two-wheeler on December 19 last year, through Najafgarh Road at Uttam Nagar in West Delhi in an inebriated condition.
The prosecution relied upon the breath analyser report stating that his blood stream contained 354.2mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood which is 17 times more than prescribed limit.
The Mahavir Enclave-resident Gyanender Singh, who had earlier pleaded guilty, was awarded simple imprisonment of three days and a fine of Rs 2,000 was imposed on him.
The prosecutor pointed out that no accident took place and that had an accident taken place, it would have been herculean task for the victim to claim compensation.
In his appeal, the accused claimed he is a poor and this conviction would adversely affect his career. He submitted that he is not a drunkard and has never been convicted previously for such an offence.
