In a novel approach to sentencing, the Bombay High Court on Thursday granted bail to a 32-year-old man accused of drunken driving, with a condition aimed at public awareness. Sabyasachi Devpriya Nishank, who was arrested in November 2024 for driving under the influence and causing damage to police barricades, has been ordered to hold a ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ banner at a busy traffic junction.
Justice Milind Jadhav, presiding over the case, set the bail at Rs 1 lakh and emphasized the need for a corrective measure that also serves the community. Nishank, a senior employee at a private company and an MBA graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, has been in custody for two months.
The court’s decision reflects consideration of Nishank’s educational background and potential future prospects. “Further incarceration is not warranted considering his age and future prospects,” Justice Jadhav noted, despite acknowledging Nishank’s negligent and inebriated driving at the time of the incident.
As part of his bail conditions, Nishank is required to perform community service. Every weekend for the next three months, he must report to the traffic officer at Worli Naka Junction in central Mumbai. Under supervision, he will stand at a well-lit spot on the footpath, facing the road, for three hours every Saturday and Sunday.
Nishank is tasked with preparing a flex banner measuring 4 feet by 3 feet, under the direction of the Traffic Officer. The banner will feature bold black lettering on a white background with the words ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’, accompanied by a colored graphic image that reinforces the message.
“This measure is intended to create and spread awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving,” the High Court stated, aiming to leverage Nishank’s punishment as a preventive tool against potential traffic violations by others.
