New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) A court here on Saturday formally framed charges of culpable homicide and rash driving against a former Delhi Public School student for allegedly killing two homeless people by by running them over with his overspeeding car in 2017.

Additional Sessions Judge Ekta Gauba Mann was hearing the case against Samarth Chugh against whom a case was registered at Kashmere Gate Police Station on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligent driving.

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Earlier on Monday, the court had ordered framing charges in the case.

On Saturday, the court framed charges against Chugh under (IPC) sections 279 (rash or negligent driving), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 304 (ii) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) (and) Section 3/181 (driving without a licence) of the Motor Vehicles Act.

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The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed trial.

During the proceedings, the judge said, "On April 20, 2017, at about 5:30 AM under railway bridge on the road from Hanuman temple to ITO within the jurisdiction of police station Kashmere Gate, you were found driving car in rash and negligent manner as to endanger human life and personal safety of others and thereby you have committed an offence punishable under section 279 of the IPC within my cognisance."

She said that while driving the car, Chugh "struck against the persons, who were sleeping on the footpath" and after hitting them, he tried to escape and reversed the car, which "further crushed" the injured.

"Despite the fact that one of the (injured) persons was struck in the front bumper of the car and the other three injured persons were lying behind the car, you caused the death of two persons namely one unknown and another named Asif and committed culpable homicide not amounting to murder," the judge said.

Additional Sessions Judge Mann further framed charges on the third count for attempting to commit culpable homicide.

The judge said, "You caused injuries on the body of persons namely Sanjay and Kuldeep alias Karan with such intention and knowledge and under such circumstances that if, the death of said persons had been caused by your said act, then, you would have been guilty of culpable homicide.

"Fourthly, you were found driving above said vehicle without having a valid driving license and thereby you have committed an offence punishable under section 3/181 MV Act and within my cognisance."

"And I hereby direct you be tried by this court on the said charges," the judge added.

The court questioned the accused whether he understood the charges, to which he replied in the affirmative.

It then asked, "Do you plead guilty or claim trial?" to which Chugh said, "I plead not guilty and I claim trial."

According to the prosecution, the accused, a (former) class XII commerce stream student of DPS, was accompanied by two classmates, Ujjawal Goyal and Bhawya Rajpal, who fled the spot but later turned themselves in and joined the probe.

In its order dated November 18, the court had noted that according to the chargesheet, the accused was driving the car without a driving license and both his friends were in an inebriated state during the "fun trip".

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