Thane, June 15: In a decisive move against violence by drivers, Thane district court remanded Ola driver Nishant Dhar Shukla (40) to judicial custody following the brutal assault of a 75-year-old senior citizen outside Jupiter Hospital on June 9. As the initial police remand expired, the defence counsel indicated plans to approach the Sessions Court to move a bail application.
Defense's Next Move
Following intensive interrogation by the Vartak Nagar police, Shukla was produced before the Thane Court, which subsequently transferred him from police custody to judicial custody.
The police have firmly maintained Section 109 (Attempt to Murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Shukla. The charge was explicitly invoked following a forensic review of the video, which showed Shukla severely beating the elderly victim, Sarosh Dastoor, and targeting him with stones and tree branches.
Attempt to Murder Charge
Senior Police Inspector Pravin Mane confirmed that while the initial FIR stands on solid ground, further criminal sections will be added as soon as the victim's official statement is formally processed.
Regulatory bodies have escalated actions to permanently terminate Shukla's commercial and driving privileges across state lines. The Thane RTO has issued an official seven-day statutory notice to the Mirzapur RTO in Uttar Pradesh, and transport authorities are currently awaiting the expiration of this notice period to initiate the direct interstate cancellation of his driving privileges. In response, the Uttar Pradesh (Mirzapur) RTO has already processed the formal request for the immediate suspension of Shukla’s out-of-state commercial driving licence, with formal cancellation pending the conclusion of the seven-day administrative window. Simultaneously, the cab aggregator platform has deactivated Shukla's driver profile and permanently blacklisted him from the network, a disciplinary action that has already been completed with immediate nationwide effect.
How Shukla Was Caught
The rapid escalation against Shukla comes in the wake of intense public outrage after the video of the assault went viral. Local political workers tracked Shukla down by executing a targeted sting operation, posing as dummy customers.
Using his vehicle's registration data, they contacted the car's owner to obtain Shukla’s direct mobile number. A worker then placed a fake booking for a long-distance ride to Lalbaug, Parel. When Shukla arrived at the designated pickup spot he was caught by the political workers and handed over to the Vartak Nagar police.
The victim, Sarosh Dastoor, remains hospitalized at Jupiter Hospital, recovering from a fractured right leg and multiple contusions.
While political figures and local groups have attempted to intervene, sources close to the family state that the elderly couple is highly irritated by the political circus surrounding the incident. They have explicitly requested law enforcement to handle the case strictly and directly through due process, without drawing them into a political spectacle.
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