Vikram Chatterjee in a still from Shaheb Bibi Golaam
Kolkata: Actor Vikram Chatterjee has told the Kolkata Police that he had drinks on the day of the accident that killed actress and TV host Sonika Chauhan.
Chatterjee, who is out on bail, was behind the wheels of the car when it crashed on April 29, killing Chauhan.
Police sources confirmed that Chatterjee admitted that he had drinks during an interview but said it was within limits and he was not intoxicated while driving.
“I had little rum and coke mixed at Phoenix in Astor Hotel. The video of me with a glass in hand is of underground night club in that hotel. The glass has cola in it. I have been in a relationship with Sonika for more than four months. I was not intoxicated at the time of accident,” he told the police.
He maintained that he was driving at a speed of 60 to 70 km an hour at the time of the accident, police said.
Chatterjee said he does not really know why the car spun out of control. He will be questioned by the police on Wednesday as well.
The case has taken political turn with BJP leaders accusing Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government of protecting Chatterjee.
The BJP has questioned why Chatterjee was booked under charges which allowed him to get away with an easy bail, and accused TMC of protecting Chatterjee because of his links in the entertainment industry.
On Monday evening, when friends and family of Chauhan walked on the streets of Kolkata with candles in their hands demanding justice for her, several BJP leaders joined them. Actor and BJP lawmaker Rupa Ganguly questioned the way “facts in the case were being suppressed”.
“Why are the police going so slow with the probe? Why did so many important people close to the state government help Vikram get bail?” asked Ganguly.