Kanpur Lamborghini crash: Lawyer says Mishra wasn't driving; police counter with CCTV, witnesses
Kanpur (UP) (PTI): The investigation into the high-profile Lamborghini crash took a contentious turn on Tuesday after tobacco baron's son Shivam Mishra's lawyer claimed that his client was not driving the luxury sports car when it rammed into pedestrians on VIP Road, even as police said CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts and other evidence clearly place that he was driving.
Mishra's counsel, Mrityunjay Kumar, told reporters that the vehicle was being driven by Mohan, a designated driver employed by Mishra’s family, and not Mishra himself.
"The car was being driven by the driver, not by Shivam Mishra. We will present the facts and evidence before the court," Kumar said, urging authorities to treat the incident as an accident rather than a criminal offence.
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However, the Kanpur Police dismissed the claim, maintaining that the investigation so far has confirmed Mishra to be the driver at the time of the crash.
Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal told PTI that available evidence and eyewitness statements corroborate Mishra's presence at the wheel.
"An FIR may sometimes contain incorrect or incomplete details initially. During the investigation, Shivam Mishra's involvement was confirmed through evidence, CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts," Lal said.
Senior officers also referred to videos from the spot, which appear to show bystanders and rescuers pulling a man believed to be Mishra out of the driver's seat immediately after the impact.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Atul Kumar Srivastava said CCTV footage from the site identifies the person pulled out of the vehicle as Mishra.
He added that submissions made by the counsel would not influence the probe.
"What an advocate argues in court does not affect our investigation. If the court seeks any clarification, all facts will be placed before it," DCP said further.
Police teams also visited Mishra's residence in Arya Nagar to serve a notice, but were unable to establish contact, said an official.
The FIR had initially named an unidentified driver of a Lamborghini car, but it was later updated to include Mishra as the accused. Also, the car has been seized for forensic examination.
The accident involving the Lamborghini Revuelto, an Italian luxury sports car that costs upwards of Rs 10 crore, took place on VIP Road in Kanpur's upscale Gwaltoli area around 3.15 pm. SHO Santosh Gaur was removed from his post and sent to police lines.
Shivam Mishra is the son of Banshidhar Exports Pvt Ltd's owner, K K Mishra, who had been under the I-T department's scanner for tax-related issues.
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T20 WC star Samson named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March
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Dubai (PTI): India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.
Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.
His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months including South Africa's Simon Harmer, Australia's Mitchell Starc, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan.
"Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India's triumph at the Men's T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in," Samson said.
"This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I've received, and for the trust and support from my team-mates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best."
Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India's must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn't look back.
The opener missed out on a century against the West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India's spot in the semifinal.
A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede helped India to 253 for 7, and the target proved elusive for the English who missed out by seven runs on March 5.
An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India's successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.
In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.
This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men's Player of the Month honour.
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr won the women's honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr's captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.
Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.
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