A 14-year-old boy allegedly driving his father’s car killed three members of a family in a road crash. Nearly six years later, the Karnataka High Court has refused to quash culpable homicide proceedings against the boy’s father, stressing that parental responsibility cannot be ignored when a minor is allowed to drive. Justice M Nagaprasanna, in an order dated October 16, warned against treating public roads as places for underage driving. The court rejected the father’s plea to drop the charges, ruling that the circumstances surrounding the crash must be examined during trial.
14-Year-Old Behind the Wheel, Three Family Members Dead
The tragedy took place in December 2020 on the Old Bengaluru-Mysuru Road. The boy, who was at the wheel of a Volkswagen Vento borrowed from his father by the latter’s employer, is accused of hitting and killing a couple along with their five-year-old kid. The deaths led to criminal prosecution of the boy’s father, Nadeem-Ur-Rehman, who petitioned the High Court in light of the trial court’s decision to deny his discharge.
Why the Father Wanted the Culpable Homicide Charges Dropped
Rehman sought to quash charges under Section 304 Part-II of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with other alleged traffic violations.
His defence argued that the boy had taken the vehicle without his father’s knowledge or permission. The counsel also maintained that the incident could, at most, be treated as rashness or negligence rather than culpable homicide.
Court Rejects Plea, Issues Stern Warning on Underage Driving
The prosecution opposed the petition, claiming there was material suggesting that Rehman had handed the car keys to his son and allowed him to drive on previous occasions.
Rejecting the plea, Justice Nagaprasanna observed, “The steering wheel of a motor vehicle cannot become a plaything in the hands of a child, nor can a public road become the playground for such indulgence.”
The court added that a parent who knowingly gives car keys to a minor cannot “retreat behind the minority of that child when the adventure ends in catastrophe”.
Karnataka’s Minor Road Accidents Raise Concern
It was stated by the High Court that the issue of whether the father’s behaviour amounted to negligence or contained criminal knowledge was for determination during the trial. Referring to data pertaining to the year 2025-26, it is observed that 751 cases relating to minors occurred in Karnataka, and it ranked sixth among the states in India.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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