Kuber Group Chief Managing Director (CMD) Vikas Malu was on Sunday, 27 August sent a notice by the Gurugram Police to join the investigation into the accident which took place along the Delhi-Mumbai-Baroda Expressway last week and killed two.
On 22 August, a Rolls-Royce, reportedly speeding at 230 kmph, rammed into an oil tank truck near Umri village in Haryana’s Nuh, killing the truck driver and his helper, and injuring the three occupants of the luxury car, including Vikas Malu.
Malu is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gurugram. The police is expected to start questioning him soon after he's discharged.
Who's Vikas Malu?
Malu had taken charge as the Director of the Kuber Group in 1993. Kuber Group was founded by his father Mul Chand Malu in 1985 and dealt in Kuber Khaini and other tobacco products. According to the group’s website, the conglomerate is “rapidly growing”, “multi-diversified,” and has a turnover of approximately thousands of crores.
The group’s website calls Malu “a keen planner, strategist and implementer with deftness.”
“Vikas Malu's efforts have increased the number of products the company offers to its customers, and he actively sought out new markets. He has pushed into more cities...Kuber group operates in more than 50 countries and has more than 45 industries operating under the group.”The company's website
According to his Facebook page, Malu studied B.Com (Hons) at Delhi University and went to Delhi Public School, Mathura Road.
What Happened That Day?
The fatal crash – videos of which have been circulating widely across social media – showed that the overspeeding luxury car lost control and hit the oil tank truck in the middle lane. While Malu’s Rolls Royce Phantom immediately was caught in flames, the truck overturned.
The collision left the driver, identified as Rampreet, and his helper Kuldeep, dead. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered in the case on 22 August at the Nagina police station under sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt rashly and negligently) and 304 (culpable homicide).
According to a report in The Times of India, the Rolls-Royce was part of a 20-vehicle convoy with two escort vehicles mounted with red beacons and had security personnel in blue safari suits.
Earlier this year, Malu had hit headlines after his second wife Saanvi Malu accused him of “murdering” actor-director Satish Kaushik. She had also written to the Delhi Police Commissioner on this matter.
Kaushik had died on 9 March allegedly due to a cardiac arrest shortly after celebrating Holi with his friends in Vikas Malu's farmhouse. According to Saanvi, Kaushik and Vikas had business ties, and an argument had arisen between the two.
“I have lodged a complaint concerning Satish Ji’s demise. He visited my husband’s farmhouse for a party, during which his health deteriorated. Questionable substances were also discovered at the farmhouse. Satish Ji and my husband also had business ties. In August last year, a disagreement arose between Satish Ji and my husband when Satish Ji sought the repayment of the Rs 15 crore he had previously extended,” Saanvi had alleged to news agency ANI in March.
Satish Kaushik's wife, however, had said he died of a cardiac arrest, adding that there was no tension between him and Malu.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)