Andhra MP's son wasn't arrested after fatal Aston Martin crash. What cop said

Andhra Pradesh MP's son was identified as the driver of the Aston Martin that killed a woman near a Hyderabad mall, but police did not arrest him and instead served him a notice to appear and cooperate with the investigation. Here's why.Police said Sanjush underwent preliminary drug and alcohol tests, both of which returned negative. A case has been registered against 21-year-old Lingamaneni Sanjush, son of Andhra Pradesh Rajya Sabha MP and Jana Sena Party leader Lingamaneni Ramesh, in connection with a fatal road accident near Hyderabad’s Inorbit Mall that claimed the life of a 26-year-old woman.Despite the fatality, police did not arrest the MP’s son and instead served him a notice to appear and cooperate with the investigation. But why was he not arrested and what have the police said about the case?The victim, Bharati Mukhi, who was reportedly from Odisha, was crossing the road near the mall when Sanjush hit her with his Aston Martin on August 16, causing severe head injuries and heavy bleeding. She was rushed to Apollo Hospital in the same vehicle but was declared dead on arrival.Madhapur Police registered a case under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with causing death by a rash or negligent act. WHY WAS ACCUSED NOT ARRESTED?Ritiraj, DCP of Balanagar Zone, said Sanjush was not arrested at this stage because police had invoked Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carries a maximum punishment of up to five years.“Since nothing was found, we could only apply Section 106(1), as the punishment is less than five years. There was no possibility of arrest in accordance with the Arnesh Kumar judgment and the conditions under Section 35(1). Therefore, a notice was issued to him,” the DCP said. Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with causing death through a rash or negligent act that does not amount to culpable homicide. The provision carries imprisonment of up to five years, or a fine, or both. Police said the section was invoked based on the evidence available so far and could be altered if the investigation uncovers evidence warranting a different offence.The decision not to arrest Sanjush is linked to the legal safeguards governing arrests in such cases. The Supreme Court’s 2014 judgment in Arnesh Kumar vs State of Bihar laid down safeguards against unnecessary arrests, particularly in offences carrying a maximum punishment of up to seven years.The court held that registration of a cognisable offence does not automatically require the accused to be arrested. Police must assess whether an arrest is necessary based on the circumstances and the conditions prescribed under law.Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) also lays down conditions for arrest without a warrant. If an arrest is not considered necessary, police can issue a notice requiring the accused to appear and cooperate with the investigation.In Sanjush’s case, police said these conditions were not met and he was therefore served a notice instead of being arrested.WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?The investigation into the crash is continuing. The Aston Martin involved in the accident, bearing registration number TG-09-G-0666, has been seized by Cyberabad Police, while its Motor Vehicle Inspector (MVI) inspection has been completed. The report is expected within three to four days.Police said Sanjush also underwent preliminary drug and alcohol tests, both of which returned negative. His blood sample has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for further examination.“If anything is found in the FSL report that warrants altering the sections or modifying the ongoing investigation, appropriate action will be taken,” Ritiraj said.- EndsPublished By: Shipra ParasharPublished On: Aug 21, 2026 17:50 IST