Sambia Sohrab, the prime accused in the hit-and-run case in which a young air force officer was killed in Kolkata, was today charged with murder even as a city court rejected his bail plea.
Sohrab, the younger son of former RJD MLA Mohammad Sohrab, was remanded in police custody for 14 days, a day after he was arrested by city police. He was picked up from Park Circus seven-point crossing late last night while he was headed towards his in-laws’ house, police said.
Metropolitan Magistrate of City Sessions Court Mrityunjay Karmakar while rejecting Sohrab’s bail plea sent him to police custody till January 30.
Sohrab has been booked under IPC sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 212 (harbouring offender) and 427 (mischief causing damage).
Pleading for bail for the accused, his counsel told the court that the FIR has said the speeding vehicle that mowed down the air force officer was driven by an ‘unknown’ person and that he had cooperated with Kolkata Police sleuths.
The public prosecutor said the offence of the driver was not only hitting and killing a person but also breaking into a “prohibited place” where around 5,000 defence personnel were rehearsing for the upcoming Republic Day parade.
21-year-old Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud was mowed down by a speeding brand new Audi with Sohrab allegedly at the wheels after it broke through guard rails on Red Road on the morning of January 13.
According to a Kolkata Police officer, Sohrab was interrogated at length by investigating officers. He was grilled at Joint Commissioner (Crime) Deabasish Boral’s chamber at the Force’s headquarter till 5 AM today.
According to the officer, Sohrab denied that he was behind the wheels of the luxury vehicle.
“He (Sambia) did not cooperate with us at all. Whenever he was asked about his role he denied being there at the mishap site. But we have clear indications of his presence at the Red Road area at that very hour,” the official told PTI.
Sohrab’s mobile phone tower showed that he was there on January 13 morning, he said, adding that in fact, it was through his mobile phone tower location that helped Kolkata Police sleuths to trace him last night.
Sohrab was also asked about the number of persons present with him during the incident, to which he had no “clear” answer, the officer said.
“We have information that the earlier night Sambia along with his friends had a booze party at the Dadhi Ghat in the Port area. He was drunk and was at the driving wheels and is responsible for the mishap,” he claimed.
( Source – PTI )
