Lamborghini crash: Shivam denies driving despite evidence

PTI

Kanpur

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 him behind the wheel.

His father, K K Mishra, who owns Banshidhar Exports Pvt Ltd, also made similar claims before the media and alleged that his son was being implicated in the case.

“My son was not driving. He was asleep. Our driver Mohan was driving the car,” he told mediapersons outside Gwaltoli police station.

Earlier, Shivam’s counsel, Mrityunjay Kumar, also told the reporters the same version.

“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.

K K Mishra, while speaking to reporters, also ruled out the over-speeding angle and asserted that his son was not drunk.

“No one drinks (alcohol) in our family,” the tobacco baron said. On Monday, as speculation swirled that Shivam may have been inebriated, his family stepped in to say that he has been suffering from epilepsy.

K K Mishra further said that Shivam is unwell and currently admitted to a hospital in Delhi.

He assured that both he and his son would cooperate with the investigation once his health improves.

When asked about Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal’s statement that CCTV footage and other evidence indicated Shivam was driving, Mishra dismissed the claim as incorrect.

The Mishra family had been in the news earlier, too. In 2024, the I-T department reportedly conducted multiple raids on the company over tax-related issues.

The Kanpur Police, however, dismissed the father and lawyer’s claim, maintaining that the investigation so far has confirmed Mishra to be the driver at the time of the crash.

Lal told PTI that available evidence and eyewitness statements corroborate Mishra’s presence behind 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 Shivam 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 Shivam.

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 Shivam’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. The car has been seized for forensic examination.

Police sources have also claimed that security personnel accompanying him attempted to damage the number plate to conceal the car’s identity, said an

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 pm on Sunday. SHO Santosh Gaur was removed from his post and sent to police lines following the accident.