Drunken driving causes huge economic loss: Court

Observing that drunken driving "has become a menace", a court here on Wednesday said driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol causes huge economic loss.

"Drunken driving has become a menace, which may cause injuries, disabilities, fatalities having devastating effect on the victims and their kin. It also causes collossal loss in terms of economy of the state," District and Sessions Judge Rekha Rani said while upholding a three-day jail term to Gyanender Singh.

Singh challenged a magisterial court order dated January 11, 2016, in which he was convicted and awarded three days' imprisonment and a fine of Rs.3,500.

According to prosecution, Singh was driving a two-wheeler on December 19, 2015, on Najafgarh Road in west Delhi's Uttam Nagar area under the influence of liquor.

The court observed that fortunately no accident took place.

It said the accused was driving inebriated, with alcohol content more than 17 times the permissible limit "oblivious of nightmarish consequences", and such driving was "further compounded by the fact that he was driving the vehicle without insurance".

The court said if the accused was let go or granted the benefit of probation or only imposed the maximum fine, it "would lead to miscarriage of justice as such sentence would be too lenient".