Kolkata hit-and-run: Suspected co-passenger sent to 2-day remand

A Delhi court on Monday sent a youth, arrested in connection with the hit-and-run case in which an Indian Air Force corporal was killed during Republic Day rehearsal in Kolkata, to two days transit remand.

Shahnawaz Khan, 24, resident of West Bengal, was arrested in New Delhi on Monday morning and produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pooran Chand who allowed Kolkata Police's plea to take him to Kolkata for his interrogation.

"In view of the facts and circumstances, the accused be given in transit remand to sub-inspector Sumit Bhattacharya to be produced before CMM Calcutta on January 20," the court said.

The court also said that if the police along with the accused reach Kolkata before or after January 20, he be produced before the duty magistrate.

Khan was arrested from Ajmeri Gate in Central Delhi by a team of Kolkata Police, Anti-Rowdy Section of Detective department at Lal Bazar, Kolkata.

According to the police, Khan was in the Audi Q7 being driven by Sambia Sohrab, which allegedly mowed down Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud during the rehearsal of Republic Day parade on January 13 in Kolkata.

A case of murder and criminal conspiracy under the IPC was registered at Police Station Maidan in Calcutta.

Seeking Khan's custody, police told the court he has to be taken to Kolkata by train which would take two days and sought that he be sent to transit remand till January 22.

The court, however, granted his transit remand till January 20 and directed the police to get the accused medically examined before boarding the train.

Police said in its application that the 21-year-old IAF Corporal was knocked down and killed after being hit by the brand new Audi car during the Republic Day rehearsal parade on the Red Road.

Police said Khan was called for questioning and allowed to go but since then he was absconding.

His relatives lodged a missing diary at Bowbazar and police were looking for him.

Cops then got to know from sources that he was in Delhi and the Kolkata Police zeroed on him on Sunday night.

Based on the location of his mobile and the mobile tower, police spotted and arrested him, the police said.

Khan and prime accused Sambia would be questioned together after being brought to Kolkata, it said.

Sambia, son of a Trinamool Congress leader, was arrested on the night of 16 January from Park Circus seven-point crossing while he was heading towards his in-laws' house. 

Shahnawaz was arrested from a locality in outer Delhi's Alipur area by a special team of Kolkata Police.

Delhi Police said that it was not a joint operation and they were informed about the arrest when the youth was produced at Tis Hazari court here this afternoon for a transit remand, which is required to take him to Kolkata, said a senior official.

"Even the station house officer of the concerned police station was not kept in loop. The entire operation was done by the special team at their own risk," a senior official posted in Delhi Police's Outer district said.

However, there are no straight-jacket rules for keeping the local police in loop unless a major law and order disruption or security threat is perceived. But the risk is always with the security agency which takes charge of such operations, a senior Delhi Police official said. 

Image: Sambia Sohrab, main accused in a hit-and-run case leading to the death of an airman while he was rehearsing for the Republic Day, is being produced in a city court, in Kolkata. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/ PTI