Mumbai: The driver of the BMW involved in the fatal Coastal Road crash had previously come under the police scanner in two separate cases — one concerning alleged rash and negligent driving and another involving alleged drunken behaviour and a disturbance outside a pub, police records show.
BMW Crashes Off Coastal Road, Three Students Die
The BMW crash occurred at around 5.20 am on Sunday on the northbound carriageway of Mumbai's Coastal Road, near Lotus Jetty and Lala Lajpatrai College, while the vehicle was travelling from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali. The car allegedly lost control, crashed through the roadside barrier and plunged nearly 75 feet into an area where parking work was underway. Police said the vehicle appeared to have been travelling at around 120 kmph, although the exact speed is yet to be established.
The three deceased have been identified as Shanay Gajjar (21), Aditya Jakasaniya (19) and Dhairya Sheth (17). The fourth occupant, Aditya Oswal, sustained serious injuries and was initially taken to Nair Hospital before being shifted to Breach Candy Hospital.
Earlier Speeding Case Registered at Gamdevi Police Station
According to the police, Shanay Gajjar was driving the BMW. The vehicle was registered in the name of his father, Falgune Gajjar, a businessman from Gujarat. The four occupants were students from Ahmedabad who were residing in Mumbai for their education.
Earlier speeding case: Police records show that on March 28, 2026, an unidentified driver of the same BMW, registration number DD 01 C 6302, was booked at Gamdevi Police Station following a complaint by Omkar Rakesh Shirke. According to the complaint, Shirke and his wife were travelling on a motorcycle near Breach Candy Hospital when the BMW allegedly overtook them at high speed. The BMW was later spotted near the entrance of Mahalaxmi Temple. Shirke alleged that when he questioned the driver about the speed, the driver allegedly argued with him before leaving the spot. A case was registered against the unidentified driver for allegedly driving the vehicle rashly and at high speed in a manner that endangered the lives of others.
August case at Bandra: In another case, Bandra Police registered an FIR under Sections 85(1) and 85(2) of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, 1949, and Section 221 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on August 20, 2026.
According to the police, four persons, including Shanay Falgune Gujjar (21), were allegedly found in an intoxicated condition and creating a disturbance on a public road outside a pub in Bandra West. Police said they allegedly argued with police personnel when asked to maintain peace and also created a disturbance in the station's duty officer's room. The investigation in that case was completed and the chargesheet was submitted before the court on September 4, 2026, according to the police records.
Probe into possible drunk driving: Following Sunday's fatal crash, police are investigating whether overspeeding, drunk driving, a mechanical failure or other factors contributed to the accident. The BMW was travelling at a speed substantially above the 80 kmph speed limit on the main carriageway, according to police. The exact speed will be determined as part of the investigation.
Police have also sent samples for forensic examination to determine whether alcohol had been consumed before the crash. The Regional Transport Office is expected to examine the damaged vehicle to rule out any mechanical failure.
The impact was severe, with the BMW falling from the elevated road and sustaining extensive damage. The three occupants who died were declared dead after being taken to Nair Hospital, while Oswal survived with multiple serious injuries. Tardeo Police are conducting further investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash.
What is in Tardeo police Station FIR?
The Tardeo police have registered a case under Section 184 of the Motor Vehicle act 1988, sections 281, 125(b) and 106(1) of BNS against Shanay Falgune Gajjar (21) following the fatal BMW crash on Mumbai's Coastal Road in which three students were killed and another sustained serious injuries in the early hours of Sunday.
According to the police complaint, the incident occurred between 5 am and 5.20 am on September 20, when a black BMW bearing registration number DD 01 C 6302 was travelling on the northbound carriageway from Marine Drive towards Haji Ali.
Police Sub-Inspector Rajendra Baban Ingole, who was on night duty with the Tardeo Mobile-4 team, received a control-room message at around 5.19 am stating that a car had fallen from the Coastal Road and that police assistance was required.
A police team immediately reached the spot and found the BMW, which was registered in the name of Falgune Gajjar. Workers at the site had already shifted one injured occupant to Nair Hospital in an ambulance. Three other occupants, aged between approximately 18 and 23 years, were found unconscious and seriously injured at the crash site. They were subsequently taken to Nair Hospital for treatment.
Police also recorded the statement of a security guard and eyewitness, Chandrakant Ramanresh Thakur (40), who was present at the spot. According to him, the BMW fell from the northbound Coastal Road bridge between poles HAI 637 and HAI 634, after which he heard a loud crash and rushed to the spot.
Four mobile phones and a wallet belonging to one of the occupants were recovered from the crash site and taken into police custody for investigation. The wallet reportedly contained an Aadhaar card identifying Aditya Jakasaniya.
Based on calls received from relatives on the recovered mobile phones, police identified the four occupants as Dhairya Darshit Sheth (17), Aditya Jakasaniya (18), Shanay Falgune Gajjar (21) and Aditya Kalpesh Oswal (21). Doctors at Nair Hospital declared Dhairya Sheth, Aditya Jakasaniya and Shanay Gajjar dead on arrival. Aditya Oswal was admitted for treatment, then Aditya shitted to Breach Candy hopsital.
According to the complaint, Shanay Gujjar was found partly inside and partly outside the driver's seat of the vehicle. Police also confirmed that the BMW was registered in the name of his father, Falgune Gujjar. The police complaint alleges that between 5 am and 5.20 am, Shanay Gujjar drove the BMW at high speed and negligently on the northbound Coastal Road, disregarding road safety, resulting in the deaths of himself, Dhairya Sheth and Aditya Jakasaniya and causing serious injuries to Aditya Oswal. Based on the complaint, the Tardeo Police have registered a case against the deceased driver, and further investigation is underway to establish the exact circumstances leading to the crash.
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