TMC leader's son at wheels of SUV that killed Air Force officer, hints probe
Kolkata: The special investigation team of the Kolkata police, probing the death of IAF Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud, has found evidence suggesting that Sambia Sohrab, the younger son of Trinamool Congress leader Mohammed Sohrab, was driving the killer car Audi Q7.
The development came to light on Friday when CCTV footage of the incident, aired on TV news channels, showed Corporal Gaud marching with an IAF contingent during the Republic Day parade rehearsal on Red Road early on January 13 and the SUV speeding past a marching contingent of the Army’s music band after running him over.
The investigators learnt of Sambia’s presence in the driver’s seat after Priyanka Khan, sister-in-law of Shahnawaz Khan, alias Sonu, one of the three absconding suspects, lodged a complaint at the Bowbazar police station on Wednesday night about Sonu going missing since the accident early on January 13.
WATCH: Visuals of speeding car that mowed down Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud during R-Day rehearsal in Kolkata 2 days ago https://t.co/zI3axUGBwu
— ANI (@ANI_news) January 15, 2016 According to the complaint, at around 6.10 pm on January 13, Sonu called up his elder brother Khalid on his cellphone and informed him he was at an eatery in Kolaghat. Verifying the call details, the investigators found the call was indeed made by Sonu who told the family Sambia was driving his Audi Q7, which hit Guad, said a senior IPS officer.
The officer added that Sonu could see Sambia alone in his car as he was travelling with his friend Johny in another car following Sambia’s car. The investigators, however, found some gaps in Sonu’s reported claims to his family and seized his passport so that he could not leave the country.
Probe revealed that Ambia, Sambia and Sonu went to a bar at C.R. Avenue in Bowbazar on January 12 evening and had drinks well past midnight before travelling in their cars in different parts of south Kolkata and the port area, sources disclosed, adding that following the accident Ambia took shelter at a house at Ripon Street and stayed there till afternoon.
Meanwhile, the city police has tightened security arrangements for the parade drill early Saturday. While a joint commissioner would be in charge of the session three deputy commissioners of police, instead of one, and two assistant commissioners of police would supervise the proceedings with a team of around 300 cops.
