Little Raaja restaurant owner Hema Sunder Maturi crashed car, lied to police

The owner of several Indian restaurants across Geelong fled from a car crash and tried to pin it on a “new employee”.

Hema Sunder Maturi fled the scene of a car crash in Ocean Grove and then lied to police about how it happened. Picture: Facebook.

An Ocean Grove man who runs several Indian restaurants fled the scene of a car crash and tried to blame it on a new employee.

Between his home in Ocean Grove and the Little Raaja Indian restaurant in the same suburb, Hema Sunder Maturi crashed into trees and caused so much damage his car was unable to be driven.

When police arrived, Maturi was nowhere to be seen.

Maturi faced the Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, driving while disqualified, and a charge of providing false information to police.

Hema Sunder Maturi, who owns the Little Raaja Indian restaurant chain, had his wife lie to police. Picture: Facebook.

The court heard police ended up on Maturi’s doorstep, just 800m from the scene of the crash, only to be told by Maturi that a new employee was driving the car at the time.

Maturi runs the Little Raaja restaurants in Ocean Grove, Drysdale and Armstrong Creek.

According to the website, there are also restaurants based in Leopold, Queenscliff and Barwon Heads.

He told officers he did not know the employee’s name but that he would get back to them the next day with their details.

When police rang, Maturi had his wife lie to them on the phone, but eventually came clean about his involvement.

Maturi’s lawyer, Michael Vines, said it was “just plain silly”.

“He is, in all other respects, an honest person,” Mr Vines said.

One of the Little Raaja Indian restaurants. Picture: Little Raaja.

Mr Vines added because Maturi went home after the crash and misled police, there was no way to know exactly what his blood alcohol content may have been but he had “two beers”.

Magistrate Peter Mellas said his reputation was on the line.

“I would have thought as a businessman that you would want your reputation and integrity … to be regarded at its highest.

“This is an example of the exact opposite of that,” Mr Mellas said.

Mr Mellas added Maturi “made things worse by trying to avoid responsibility for what happened”.

“There’s not one, but two lies told,” Mr Mellas said.

“Police are then spending time investigating the matter further, rather than (you) simply saying you’ve done the wrong thing.

“You did ‘fess up to doing the wrong thing and at least that happened very shortly after.”

Maturi was convicted and fined $4000.

Originally published as Little Raaja restaurant owner Hema Sunder Maturi crashed car, lied to police