HC admits Nooriya plea against 5-yr jail

Bombay High Court (HC) admitted on Friday an appeal by Nooriya Haveliwala (30) against her five-year jail sentence in a case of drunk driving that led to the death of two people.

Justice A M Thipsay listed the case for December 3.

A special narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances court had held Haveliwala guilty on November 1 of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The India-born US beautician, allegedly driving a Honda CRV under the influence of alcohol and drugs, mowed down biker Afzal Ibrahim (35) and police sub-inspector Dinanath Shinde (46) at Marine Drive on January 30, 2010.

Shinde was part of a team conducting a check for drunken driving.

In her bail plea, Haveliwala has claimed the prosecution failed to prove charges against her beyond doubt as it did not examine crucial witnesses.

The driver of a taxi she allegedly hit was not examined, she said.

The prosecution had alleged she rammed the taxi after it suddenly came in her path trying to take a U-turn.

Haveliwala said her case was similar to that of Sanjeev Nanda, who allegedly killed six people driving a BMW under the influence of alcohol in January 1999, but her position was advantageous.

She said while Nanda, whose sentence was commutted by Supreme Court from 5 years to 2 years of community service this year, fled the scene after the accident, but she did not.

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