On Monday, the Supreme Court granted bail to Alistair Perriera, the accused in the hit-and-run case. Earlier, the Bombay high court had awarded three-year Rigorous Imprisonment to Pereira under Section 304, one year under Section 338 and six months for killing seven people and causing grievous injuries to others.

Later, Pereira filed a petition in Supreme Court and challenged the High Court judgment of sentencing him to 3 years’ RI. Parriera urged the apex court to reconsider the HC order on the ground that he was not drunk while driving and he had applied brakes also.

Pereira also informed the apex court that he had already paid a compensation of Rs 3.5 lakh to the relatives of victims. At present, Pereira is currently lodged in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.

On November 12, 2006, Alistair Pereira had rammed his Toyota Corolla in the pavement where as many as 15 people were sleeping on Carter road in Bandra. In this incident, seven people, including a pregnant woman and two children, were died on the spot and several others received severe injuries.

Earlier on April 13, 2007, a session court at Sewree had convicted Pereira under section 304 (a) (causing death by rash and negligent act). The court had awarded him six months’ simple imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs.500, 000 to pay to victims of the accident.

Later, the Bombay HC took a serious note on the judgment given by the lower court. On May 3, 2007 the HC re-opened the hit-and-run case after a public outcry over the judgment. While delivering the judgment, the Bombay HC judge had also said that Pereira didn’t deserve any uncalled sympathy in this case.

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