Former Indian cricketer Jacob Joseph Martin, 53, was arrested early on Tuesday morning after he lost control of his car and crashed into three parked vehicles in the Akota area of Vadodara while driving under the influence of alcohol. Police registered a drunk-driving and rash driving case against him, and his luxury MG Hector SUV was seized as part of the investigation.
The accident happened at around 2:30 am near Punit Nagar Society when Martin was travelling from Akota to his residence on OP Road. According to the Akota police station, Martin appeared visibly drunk and lost control of the steering, causing his vehicle to ram into a Kia Seltos, a Hyundai Venue and a Maruti Celerio parked along the roadside.
Witnesses in the quiet residential area were startled by the loud crash. Emergency services and police reached the spot after nearby residents alerted them. An officer said Martin was “unsteady on his feet” and showed clear signs of having consumed alcohol.
Jacob Martin taken into custody
Martin was quickly taken into custody and booked under several sections of the law, including parts of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for reckless and dangerous driving, and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. He was also booked under the Gujarat Prohibition Act for allegedly driving under the influence in a state where alcohol consumption is restricted.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the crash, even though all three parked vehicles were badly damaged. Police said the case is still under investigation and that further legal steps will follow once the procedural and technical assessments are completed.
Hours later, Martin was released on bail, but the incident has raised questions about road safety and celebrity accountability. Sources say his MG Hector, which is estimated to be worth around ₹20 lakh, remains in police custody for further examination.
Who Is Jacob Martin?
Jacob Martin is a well-known name in Indian cricket. He was born in May 1972 in Baroda, he played 10 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for India between 1999 and 2001. In those games, he scored 158 runs with a highest score of 39.
He had a strong domestic career, scoring 9,192 runs in 138 first-class matches, including 23 centuries. He also captained the Baroda Ranji Trophy team and later worked in coaching and business after retirement.
Martin’s past includes other legal troubles. In 2011, he was arrested by Delhi Police in connection with an alleged human-trafficking case, and in 2018 he suffered serious injuries in a separate road accident.
