Shivam Mishra, Son of Tobacco Baron, Arrested in Kanpur Lamborghini Crash Case
In a significant development, Shivam Mishra, the son of prominent tobacco baron K K Mishra, was arrested on Thursday in connection with the high-profile Lamborghini crash on Kanpur's VIP Road. The arrest occurred four days after the incident, where the speeding sports car rammed into pedestrians, sparking widespread public outrage and intense media scrutiny.
Court Proceedings Lead to Arrest
The arrest came just one day after Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (VII) of Kanpur Nagar, Amit Singh, dismissed the surrender application filed by Shivam Mishra's driver, Mohan Lal. The court firmly held that Shivam was the primary accused based on the police investigation findings.
While rejecting the driver's plea on Wednesday, the magistrate noted that Mohan Lal was neither named in the First Information Report (FIR) nor did his name emerge during the ongoing investigation. "The applicant was neither named in FIR, nor his name cropped up in the police investigation. Therefore, his application has no merit and is liable to be dismissed," the magistrate stated in his ruling.
Legal Battle Over Vehicle and Custody
Two separate applications had been presented before the court on Tuesday. One was filed by the driver seeking judicial custody, while another was submitted by the car owner requesting the release of the Lamborghini, valued at over Rs 10 crore. Both applications faced strong opposition from the prosecution.
Public prosecutor Mishra argued that the FIR clearly alleged the car caused injuries and that substantial evidence pointed to Shivam Mishra being behind the wheel at the time of the crash. He further urged the court to direct Shivam to cooperate with the investigation, alleging that he was not fully cooperating with the technical examination of the high-end vehicle.
Court Directives and Conditions
The court, while refusing to release the Lamborghini, directed Shivam Mishra to cooperate fully with the probe and provide all necessary documents to facilitate the technical examination of the vehicle. The court observed that the release application would be considered only after the technical examination report was submitted.
The ACJM also directed the police to complete the technical examination of the car and submit the detailed report before the court on Friday, setting a strict deadline for the investigative process.
Defense Claims and Family Statements
Earlier, Shivam Mishra's lawyer Narendra Kumar Yadav had claimed that the injured party, Mohd Tausif, had settled the matter with the driver and had identified Mohan as the person driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. He added that Tausif did not wish to pursue the case further, suggesting a possible resolution outside legal channels.
K K Mishra, owner of Banshidhar Exports Pvt Ltd, also maintained his son's innocence. "My son was not driving. He was asleep. Our driver Mohan was driving the car," he told mediapersons outside Gwaltoli police station, presenting a consistent family narrative.
Shivam Mishra's counsel, Mrityunjay Kumar, had earlier echoed the same version before reporters, creating a unified defense strategy that placed responsibility on the driver rather than the vehicle owner.
The case continues to unfold as authorities pursue technical examinations and further investigations to determine the exact circumstances of the VIP Road incident that has captured national attention.
