Kolkata, Jan 30 (IANS) Rejecting their bail pleas, a city court on Saturday sent three people including prime accused Sambia Sohrab to judicial custody in the sensational hit-and-run case in Kolkata in which a young IAF officer was killed on January 13.
City Metropolitan Magistrate Madhumita Basu sent the trio of Sambia Sohrab, Shanu alias Shanawaz Khan and Johnny to judicial custody till February 12.
The court also accepted the police plea of conducting a test identification parade of the three who were presented before the court on the expiry of their police custody.
Pressing for their bail, the counsel of the accused pleaded that police have not progressed with the investigation, as such their further custodial detention was not essential.
The prosecution opposed the bail, contending that the interrogation of the accused was essential for the investigation.
After hearing both the parties, the court remanded them in 14 days judicial custody.
Charged with murder among other sections, Sambia, son of former Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Mohammad Sohrab, driving his car is alleged to have broken through police barricades before fatally knocking down IAF corporal Abhimanyu Gaud in the morning of January 13 on the Indira Gandhi Sarani, while the officer was supervising the Republic Day parade rehearsal.
While Sambia was arrested on January 16 from the city, his friend Shanawaz Khan, was arrested from Delhi on January 18 and Johnny was nabbed on January 19.
Meanwhile, police continue to hunt for Sambia’s absconding brother Ambia and their father Mohammad Sohrab against whom a lookout notice was issued by a court earlier.
The development comes in the wake of the administration turning down the Indian Air Force’s formal request for a joint probe with the police into the incident.
The IAF earlier in the week had made the proposal and also requested for a list of witnesses and all other evidence collected by police to help complete its own Court of Inquiry.
But the state administration turned down the request citing that law and order was a state subject.