Cyrus Mistry Car Crash: Bombay HC dismisses culpable homicide PIL against Anahita Pandole

In the Cyrus Mistry death case, the Bombay High Court (HC) on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which sought a culpable homicide charge against the gynaecologist Dr Anahita Pandole. 

According to the PIL, Anahita Pandole has been accused in the case as she was driving Cyrus Mistry's car when the accident took place near Mumbai on September 4, 2022, which led to the latter's death. Notably, the PIL was filed on December 2022, under Section 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). IPC Section 304 is a non-bailable offence with imprisonment of up to 10 years. The PIL also sought Anahita Pandole's husband Darius Pandole to be made an accused in the case.

On January 6, Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil informed that a 152-page evidence has been submitted in the Cyrus Mistry death case. The Palghar Police in Maharashtra had registered a case against the gynaecologist for negligence and rash driving on the day of the accident.

Anahita Pandole, the survivor of Cyrus Mistry car crash, discharged from Mumbai hospital after 108 days

Dr Anahita Pandole was discharged from a Mumbai hospital on Thursday. Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital, where the gynaecologist was admitted for treatment, said she was discharged after 108 days (after her admission). 

"After weeks of intensive care, multiple surgeries, medical management and rehab, Dr Anahita is finally on the path of recovery. She underwent extensive rehabilitation to attain functional independence," the hospital said in an official statement.

Cyrus Mistry death

On September 4, Cyrus Mistry, along with 3 others-- Jahangir Dinsha Pandole, Darius Pandole, and Anayata Pandole, was returning from Zoroastrian Fire Temple in Gujarat's Udvada on the occasion of 'Behram Roj'. The luxury car Mistry and his friends were travelling in, met with an accident in Maharashtra's Palghar district while returning to Mumbai.

According to the police, the Mercedes car crashed into a road divider near Charoti village on a bridge over the Surya river.
Anahita Pandole (55), a well-known gynaecologist, and Darius Pandole (60) survived the crash, while Mistry (54) and Jahangir Pandole, brother of Darius, were killed in the accident, which occurred around 3 pm, about 120 km from Mumbai. According to the police, the driver of the car was Anahita and the accident happened because of overspeeding.

Mistry, who was the sixth chairman of Tata Sons, was ousted from the position in October 2016. He had taken over as the chairman in December 2012 after Ratan Tata announced his retirement. N Chandrasekaran later took over as Executive Chairman of Tata Sons.