Rash driving: John Abraham granted bail

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to John Abraham, in a 2006 case of rash and negligent driving, on a surety of Rs 20,000.

John had been taken into police custody earlier today after a Sessions Court in Mumbai dismissed his plea challenging the 15-day simple imprisonment awarded to him by a lower court.

Upholding John's conviction, Sessions Judge N V Navkhar ordered his detention following which he was taken into police custody. The judge also rejected John's plea seeking time to surrender before the trial court.

The 39-year-old actor had reached the court around 11 am for the hearing on his plea.

Wearing a blue checked shirt and blue denims, John looked visibly tensed, as he chatted with his lawyer. However, he signed a couple of autographs when some constables and court clerks approached him.

John later moved the Bombay High Court against the Sessions Court order and sought bail, which was granted to him.

On October 14, 2010, the Metropolitan Magistrate Court at Bandra convicted John for the rash driving incident in which two persons were injured, and sentenced him to a 15-day jail term. He was granted bail the same day.

A fortnight later, the model-actor filed an appeal in the Sessions Court against the conviction. His appeal stated that "judge has misconstrued and has, without applying the principles relating to the acts of rashness and criminal negligence, convicted the applicant (John)".

The incident dates back to April 8, 2006, when Abraham allegedly rammed his Yamaha Hayabusa bike into a bicycle, injuring two youngsters -- Shyam Kasbe (22) and Tanmay Majhi (19) -- on Carter Road in suburban Bandra.

According to police, the actor was returning from Maureen Wadia's Gladrags show while both the youngsters were returning after closing their shop.

The police later booked him under IPC Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).

According to John's application, even the victims "had not made out a case of either criminal negligence or rashness" against him.

"The lower court has relied upon hearsay evidence in convicting the appellant (John)," the appeal had said.

John's lawyer Harshad Ponda has requested the court to give them some time before the surrender/arrest.

With inputs from PTI