A man's 10 days jail term for driving a commercial vehicle in an inebriated state has been upheld by a Delhi court which said such behaviour of drivers was the main reason for several road accidents in the city.
Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri refused to set aside the conviction and sentence of South Delhi resident Mohammed Murslin, noting that as per the alco meter test, the level of alcohol was 14 times more than the permissible limit.
The sessions court passed the order dismissing the appeal filed by Murslin challenging the magistrate's order sentencing him to 10 days in jail.
"As per sample of breath of accused, same was having 440 mg/100 ml of alcohol. As observed by the trial court, it was 14 times more than the permissible limit of alcohol. Such behaviour of the drivers is the main reasons for several road accidents occurring every day in our city.
"Considering this, I find no illegality in the impugned order. Appeal is thus dismissed," the sessions court said.
The driver was caught by the police last year driving a commercial vehicle after consuming alcohol at the busy ring road near Ashram here at around 7.30 in the evening.
He had pleaded guilty before the trial court and apart from the jail term, a fine of Rs 7,700 was imposed upon him.
Seeking to set aside the trial court's order, Murslin contended that the magistrate had failed to appreciate his behaviour as he had cooperated with the traffic police.
He said he had given alco meter test without any objection and did not try to flee away.
The sessions court, however, rejected his plea saying, "Even otherwise, what so if the accused had co�operated with the police and readily agreed for alco meter test. The roads of our city are heavily congested with traffic. He was driving a commercial vehicle in the day and that too at a busy road like ring road near Ashram.
