‘Driving slow on highway riskier’, says lawyer of injured Vikas Malu

On August 22, 2023, Vikas Malu, the Director and proprietor of Kuber Group, sustained injuries following a collision between the Rolls-Royce he was travelling in and a tanker. The incident occurred on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. According to his attorney RK Thakur, Vikas Malu was deemed unfit to operate the vehicle, and therefore, his driver Tasbir was driving the vehicle.

Vikas Malu is the owner of Kuber Group, he has also been injured in the accident that left two dead, including the driver of the tanker. Malu is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gurugram, and is scheduled for surgery on Monday. The car was travelling at a speed of 200 km per hour at the time of the accident.

Advocate RK Thakur said that Vikas Malu cannot walk properly so he cannot drive the car himself. The lawyer said that the statement of the driver driving the car was recorded by the police. 

Thakur contended that maintaining a slow speed on an expressway is “more dangerous.” Nevertheless, he also clarified that Malu had not given any specific instructions to the driver regarding driving at a faster or slower pace.

RK Thakur said, “Vikas Malu’s physical condition is such that he cannot drive. He cannot walk properly. How will he drive? Vikas has 7-8 drivers working for him and the Rolls-Royce was being driven by a driver named Tasbir.”

About Vikas Malu’s health condition, his lawyer said, “Vikas has an elbow injury and is hospitalised. He also has a problem in his spine that needs to be treated. He cannot even stand without someone’s support.”

Giving details about the accident, advocate RK Thakur said, “Vikas Malu, a woman known to him and the driver were in the car. Vikas left home at 10 AM and the accident took place at 11 AM. The Rolls-Royce car that met with an accident belongs to Vikas Malu. The petrol tanker came from the wrong side and took a turn in a way that before the driver could think, the accident happened.”

Notably, the oil tanker driver and his helper were killed in the accident. Senior police officials have indicated that the initial investigation suggests the responsibility rests with the driver of the Rolls-Royce, which was part of a 14-vehicle convoy.

The police said that on the highway, the Rolls-Royce unexpectedly surged forward, surpassing the other vehicles in the convoy ahead before ultimately colliding with a tanker that was taking a U-turn. Vikas Malu, accompanied by a woman named Divya and their driver, was inside the Rolls-Royce. Although all of them were successfully rescued, the car subsequently ignited in flames.

The last time Vikas Malu made it to the news was when actor Satish Kaushik died after a party at his farmhouse on 9th March 2023. Actor Satish Kaushik, who came from Mumbai on March 8, on the day of Holi, attended the afternoon party held at Vikas Malu’s farmhouse in Delhi. On the night of the party, the actor had chest pain and was taken to Fortis Hospital, but he died before receiving treatment.

Vikas Malu commands a prominent presence in the business community. The Kuber Group started the business with Khaini, but today the group is involved in a total of 45 different businesses. Kuber Group’s business is spread across 50 countries. Vikas Malu is a director in a total of 12 companies of the Kuber Group.