Ahmedabad: A 35-year-old man, identified as Raghvendra Singh Kushwah, nephew of Bapunagar BJP MLA Dinesh Singh Kushwah, has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident in Ahmedabad’s Shilaj area. The incident occurred on November 11 when a Range Rover allegedly driven by Kushwah rammed into a Rapido motorcycle near Gurukrupa Crossroads, killing 35-year-old passenger Harshad Kumar Purabia and seriously injuring rider Pradeep Kumar Dadwal. Police traced the SUV through its registration number and arrested the accused nearly 24 hours after the crash.

The delay in the arrest has triggered questions over the handling of the investigation, particularly because no blood sample was collected from the accused. Ahmedabad Rural Deputy Superintendent of Police Neelam Goswami said Kushwah had returned from a party in Kalol before the accident, but the preliminary investigation did not indicate alcohol consumption. She confirmed that only a medical examination was conducted. Legal experts have pointed out that the delay in taking the accused into custody could have affected the collection of crucial evidence, as alcohol may no longer be detectable in the blood or urine after several hours. However, some police sources reportedly claimed that a blood sample had been taken, contradicting the official statement.

Police granted Kushwah station bail without producing him before a court, further fuelling public scrutiny over the case. Investigators have seized the Range Rover involved in the accident and sent it for forensic and Regional Transport Office (RTO) examination. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act, while the investigation is continuing to establish the full sequence of events and determine whether any additional charges are warranted.