IAF officer hit-and-run case: TIP held to identify driver

Kolkata: The test identification parade (TIP) to identify the driver in the Red Road hit-and-run case, which claimed the life of a young Air Force officer, was held on Thursday.

A total 16 witnesses comprising four officers of the Air Force, two traffic constables, a traffic sergeant and a few civic police personnel were present at the TIP at Presidency Correctional Home in the presence of City Sessions Court Metropolitan Magistrate Amitabha Das.

According to a Kolkata Police official, the TIP to identify the person behind the wheels of the white Audi that mowed down 21-year-old Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud on January 13 during a Republic Day parade rehearsal was done on 1:10 basis.

"The three accused - Sambia Sohrab, Sonu alias Shahnawaz Khan and Johnny along with 30 others were present at the TIP," a senior officer of the homicide department, who was present at the exercise, told PTI.

The TIP, which began around 2 pm lasted for around three hours with each witness taking around 10 minutes to complete the identification process, he said.

"The report has been sealed in an envelop and is with the magistrate. We need to appeal for it which will be done tomorrow," the officer said when asked about the TIP report, which would play a crucial role in Kolkata Police drawing up the chargesheet.

Sambia during an interrogation has confessed that he was in the driver's seat during the January 13 incident. Sonu and Johnny have claimed that they were not travelling in the Audi, which was being driven by Sambia but were in a Skoda which the Kolkata Police have seized.

The three arrested have been booked under IPC sections 120(B)(criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 212 (harbouring offender) and 427 (mischief causing damage).

Incidentally, a city court yesterday issued proclamation notice against Sambia's father Mohammed Sohrab, a former RJD MLA and said to be a Trinamool Congress member.

Mohammed Sohrab, is said to have helped Sambia and his two friends Sonu and Johnny in fleeing from the state soon after the incident.

A look-out notice was also issued by a city court for Mohammed Sohrab and his elder son Ambia.