Sanjeev Nanda thrown in Jail for 5 Years

The title should be a warning sign for people who don't mind a drop or two before driving.Sanjeev Nanda, the man who got drunk in the wee hours and drove his expensive BMW over six people killing them instantly was sentenced to five years imprisonment today.

The 'BMW Case' as it is commonly called occurred almost ten years ago, in 1999 when Sanjeev was 21 years old. Sanjeev, the son of a wealthy Naval Officer and arms dealer looked emotionally drained when the sentence was given.

The case was more or less a test of whether the judiciary would hold a member of India's elite liable. It was a marathon of a case, complete with accusations of bribery and lies. Several witnesses including key witness Sunil Kulkarni had changed their testimony, sparking thoughts they had been bought off.

Drunken driving claims as many as 90,000 lives in India each year. Anti-drink driving campaigners welcomed Sanjeev's sentencing.

Prince Singhal, president of Campaign Against Drunken Driving (CADD) said, "I welcome this stance taken by the court. It is an exemplary verdict."