Mumbai: Nooriya Haveliwala, who was convicted in a drunk driving case in 2010, passes away

Police inspect Nooriya Haveliwala’s car on Jan 30, 2010

Nooriya Haveliwala, the 40-year-old American national of Indian origin who was convicted in a drunk driving case from January 2010, passed away on Tuesday at a south Mumbai hospital. She had caused the death of a police sub-inspector and a biker when on January 30, 2010, she crashed her SUV into six persons at Marine Lines.

Four were injured. Sources close to the Haveliwala family told mid-day that she had slipped into depression as her one mistake had ruined everything in her life. She speeded her SUV and rammed into multiple vehicles, killed innocent people. This sends a strong message that you may be a wealthy person, a promising professional, belong to an affluent family, but if you violate a rule, you will be convicted. So follow all the rules. Don't drink and drive," said a senior officer attached to Mumbai traffic police. Haveliwala, an NRI beautician, had been living with her parents in America but her father, Yusuf, decided to move to India and hence they came to Mumbai and lived in Colaba, said the sources close to the family.

Cops take her to a pub in Mahalaxmi where she had allegedly consumed drugs. File pics

"We assume that the Haveliwalas might have property in America but they could not go back as this case kept Nooriya's parents in Mumbai. Above all, Nooriya was not allowed to leave the country during the initial days of trial. This was one of the reasons for her to slip into depression, as she was a promising beautician and wanted to grow in her career," said a source close to Haveliwalas.

The incident

In January 2010, the Kalbadevi Traffic Division had arranged a special drive to nab drunk drivers. "Nooriya was driving her Honda CRV and was high on alcohol. It was around 12:10 am, when her vehicle arrived from Opera House and was heading towards Churchgate. Her vehicle was in full speed and she dashed it against a taxi standing near the traffic signal.

Later her car dashed against a stationary police jeep of the traffic division and then against the two men, including a police constable," said an officer attached to Mumbai police. "The car was running at a very high speed and dashed against multiple vehicles, two people including an on duty police officer Dinanath Shinde and a motorcyclist, Afzal Ibrahim - whose documents were being verified by the traffic constable, died on the spot," the officer recalled.

The accident spot in 2010. File pic

"Nooriya did not get any injuries as the air balloons of her car got inflated after the accident. She was immediately nabbed by the cops and hauled to LT Marg police station where a case under relevant sections of NDPS Act, IPC and Motor Vehicle Act was registered against Nooriya Haveliwala. It was a huge case of 2010," the officer added.

The conviction

"She was arrested on January 30, 2010 and remained in jail till April 4, 2010 as an undertrial prisoner. She was on bail during her trial but, after conviction, she was re-arrested on November 1, 2012," the police officer added.

She was acquitted of the offences under sections 353, 332, 333 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 27(a) of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. "But she was convicted for the offences punishable under sections 184, 185 of Motor Vehicles Act, Sections 304 (2), 338, 337, 427 of IPC and Section 3(1) of NDPS Act," recalled the police officer.

Sources told mid-day that Nooriya broke into tears after she was convicted in the drink-n-drive case. "She had been expecting a lighter sentence in the case. But she was awarded five years rigorous imprisonment and fine. She had tried to convince the judge to award her a lighter sentence, for which she was willing to dole out huge compensation to the families of the deceased. But nothing was heard… she was a promising woman but her one mistake ruined everything," the source added.

"During the trial, she lost her father Yusuf who was suffering from a brain tumour. Her mother Alifiya is in her early 90s," the source added. After she was convicted, the source said, Alifiya was very worried about how she would survive in jail with rigorous imprisonment. "But Nooriya consoled her elderly mother and completed her term," said the source.

Some neighbours unaware

After her jail term was over, Nooriya lived with her mother at a flat in Colaba market. "They didn't interact with anyone. Mother and daughter lived here, but the daughter passed away recently at a hospital in South Mumbai," a neighbour told mid-day.

This correspondent visited Haveliwala's flat on two consecutive days - Thursday and Friday. On Friday, the house was locked. "A few relatives came to this flat after Nooriya passed away. We have learnt that the elderly woman (Alifiya) has gone to Mumbra where Nooriya's mortal remains have been buried. She might be busy in some rituals," the neighbour said. Other neighbours said that they didn't know if Nooriya had died. "She was convicted in a drink-n-drive case. Through media reports, we have learnt that Nooriya would drink and consume drugs. We never interacted with the Haveliwala family," said a neighbour.

On Thursday, when the correspondent approached Alifiya, she banged on her door saying, "You please go from here, and don't come here again…I don't want to interact with media persons." A source close to the Haveliwala family told mid-day that initially Nooriya lived in a sea-facing Colaba building, "but later they shifted to another building in Colaba Market."

"Initially, the Haveliwala family had hired an expensive lawyer to fight the case. But, gradually, the family could not afford to pay the huge legal cost and started to consult other lawyers in Mumbai," the source added.

Jan 30
Day in 2010 when the accident happened