Palghar baby’s death: ‘My dad has been jailed for helping a woman in need’

The MBVV Crime Branch has sought permission to conduct a narco analysis test on the driver who was arrested in connection with the death of a 10monthold toddler and the alleged molestation of the babyrsquos mother The cops however are also planning to conduct a polygraph test on the 19yearold mother to get a better idea of the events that took place on December 10 This comes as the investigators are unable to prove the allegations levelled by the young tribal motherA senior crime branch officer said ldquoWe have submitted the documents for the narco test of the driver in the court and we are yet to get the order We are also planning to get the polygraph test of the woman who has been levelling serious allegations which seem to be baseless till now in our investigationrdquoPolice officers at the spot on MumbaiAhmedabad Highway near Pelhar where the accident took place PicsHanif patelVijay Prasad Mahavir Kushwaha driver of the car in which the woman and her daughter were travelling along with six others was arrested on the day of the accident The woman who was seated beside the driver at the time of the incident alleged that a copassenger threw her toddler out of the window and then others molested her The police have recorded the statements of the driver and four of the six other occupants but their statements do not match with that of the woman Cops have learnt that the remaining two copassengers work in garment factories in Bhiwandi and Palghar and are looking for themAlso Read Palghar babyrsquos death Four copassengers to be grilledMeanwhile the family of the arrested driver claimed that the driver was not at fault and that he tried to help the woman and her baby His son Roshan 25 in an exclusive interview with midday said ldquoHow can a man who rushed the 10monthold baby who accidentally fell off the running vehicle and her mother who sustained injuries after jumping off the same car to three different hospitals just so the baby could be saved be arrested And that too for murder and molestationrdquoRoshan Kushwaha son of the arrested driverRoshan who is also a cab driver and the eldest son of the household said ldquoI have been running from pillar to post to get my father out of Thane Central JailrdquoHe added that in the absence of his father it has become difficult to run the family ldquoI have four younger sisters and one brother at home I recently became a father of a baby girl While we live in Vapi my mother lives in Gaya district of Bihar She has not been keeping well since the incident toordquo he said adding ldquoWe are poor but lawabiding citizens of this country If anything happens to my mother will the law and government machinery the police and administration bring her back Why is no one ready to listen to the ordeal of an elderly man who has been framed by the complainant in this case to conceal her own mistake We feel sorry for the loss of a 10monthold girl child but she was not killed by my fatherrdquoThe deceased 10monthold girlHe added that as he is busy with the legal process to prove his fatherrsquos innocence and get him out of jail he is also not able to earn enough money and had to resort to borrowing from friends to make the ends meetDriverrsquos versionThe incident took place on the MumbaiAhmedabad Highway near Pelhar on December 10 The woman and her toddler boarded the cab to reach Manor However around 10 minutes later the baby fell off the vehicle following which the woman opened the door of the running cab and jumped off The mother in blue claimed that a copassenger threw her toddler out of the window and molested herldquoWe have learnt that the woman had folded both her legs on the seat and her two bags were kept below the seat The baby girl was playing on her lap Immediately after boarding the cab the woman requested the driver to give his cellphone to connect her husband Since she had been insisting to call her husband the driver gave her his mobile phone but the call did not go through as she had dialled only nine digitsrdquo said an officer privy to the investigationRoshan said ldquoMy father said that after the call did not connect the woman handed the phone back to him and asked him to call the number My father tried to call the same number again while driving but he suddenly heard the woman screaming Before he could understand anything he saw the woman opening the door of the cab that was running at a speed of 6080 km per hour and jumping out He immediately applied theemergency brakerdquoldquoAfter stopping the car my father and a passenger came out to see what happened Meanwhile a patrolling van of Highway Police also arrived One passenger picked up the baby and brought her to the cab while the woman and a highway cop sat in the cab My father took them to three different hospitals to save the injured baby but it was too laterdquo he saidHe added ldquoMy father finally reached Mandvi police station in Virar East and narrated the incident to the police However he was detained I learnt of this only in the evening and when I reached the station my father had been arrestedrdquoldquoWhy is an innocent soul being punished for an offence which he has not committed He has undersigned a document to undergo narco test so that the truth can come outrdquo he saidDec 10Day when the incident took place3No of hospitals that the 10monthold was taken to