MUMBAI: A 73-year-old man who suffered a stroke while driving his car last week, leading to a minor accident, was kept at Versova police station for allegedly five hours for suspected drunk driving, which resulted in him missing the crucial golden window to seek medical treatment, leaving him partially paralysed. His treatment was allegedly delayed by nearly 12 hours and he has been in the ICU since then.The family of Sharad Kadam, a Versova resident, said police suspected him of driving drunk, owing to his slurred speech after the stroke but did not subject him to any breathalyser test. Police claimed he told doctors at Cooper Hospital, where he was taken for a blood alcohol test after the FIR was filed, that he was drunk. Another test at Nanavati Hospital, to which Kadam was admitted around 8pm for treatment, showed no presence of alcohol. Police said Cooper Hospital’s test report is still awaited.As per the law, in drunk driving cases, police have to first take the suspect to a hospital for blood alcohol tests instead of the police station.Kadam, a retired businessman who lives alone in Versova—his wife and son are in Canada, allegedly lost control of his car after suffering a stroke and brushed against another car around 9am on July 25. Police filed an FIR against him for rash, negligent and drunk driving based on a constable’s complaint. The constable claimed Kadam reeked of alcohol when police arrived at the accident spot. His family got him shifted from Cooper Hospital to Nanavati Hospital around 8pm.Rohan Rathod, a corporator from Andheri West who is Kadam’s nephew, told TOI on Wednesday that police and the occupant of the other car—a doctor—ignored the signs of stroke and his advanced age, refused him medical aid, and “were adamant on filing an FIR”. “A relative, who is a lawyer, rushed to the police station and found that he had collapsed there. She also noticed my uncle’s slurred speech. But police continued to claim he was drunk. The delayed medical assistance left the right side of his body paralysed,” said Rathod.MLA Ameet Satam has written to DCP Purushottam Karad seeking action against the Versova police personnel involved. In his letter, he said he had asked Versova police senior inspector Deepshika Ware why prompt medical attention was not given to Kadam but he got no clear answers.Karad and Ware were not available for comments.
