New Delhi: Questions have surfaced over why Delhi BMW crash accused Gaganpreet Kaur drove the injured couple, Navjot Singh and his wife Sandeep Kaur, nearly 20 km away to Nulife Hospital instead of taking them to nearer facilities, even as Singh’s wife pleaded for immediate admission at a nearby hospital.
Police said the collision took place near Dhaula Kuan when the BMW hit the central verge and then a two-wheeler carrying Navjot Singh, 52, deputy secretary in the Union Finance Ministry, and his wife. Singh succumbed to his injuries, while his wife was seriously hurt.
Investigators pointed out that Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital was only 7.8 km away from the accident site and AIIMS about 12 km away, but Kaur drove them to Nulife Hospital, located almost 20 km from the spot. According to officials, despite repeated requests by Sandeep Kaur to admit her husband to a nearby facility, the accused did not comply.
In her statement, Gaganpreet said she took them to Nulife because she trusted the hospital, which had treated her children during the Covid-19 pandemic, and denied having any link to it. However, investigators have cited records showing that her father, Javinder Singh, is a director or promoter in two companies registered at the same address as Nulife Advanced Diagnostics Private Ltd and Nulife Luxury Realtors Pvt Ltd, both associated with the hospital. Police also said Javinder Singh is the maternal uncle of Nulife Hospital’s late founder.
Kaur has been booked on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving, causing death by negligence, endangering life and tampering with evidence.
She was arrested on Monday and remanded in judicial custody. On Wednesday, the Patiala House Court extended her custody till September 27 while adjourning her bail plea to Saturday. The court also issued directions to preserve CCTV footage related to the incident after her counsel filed a plea.
Her lawyer argued that she had cooperated with investigators, had strong social ties, and was unlikely to abscond or tamper with evidence. The defence pointed out a delay of nearly 10 hours in the registration of the FIR and sought that the role of a DTC bus and an ambulance that passed the accident site also be examined. The lawyer also stressed that Gaganpreet, mother of two minor daughters, has no previous criminal record.
The case has triggered sharp public interest, with questions over the hospital choice and allegations of family links to Nulife adding to the controversy. The court will hear the bail application later this week.
