Red Road hit-and-run case: HC orders proceedings against accused

Setting aside the order of a lower court on Red Road hit-and-run case, the Calcutta high court on Tuesday ordered to initiate proceedings against former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Mohammad Sohrab, his son Sambia Sohrab, who is the prime accused, and his two friends.

A lower court had discharged the father of the prime accused Sambia Sohrab and his friends Shanu, alias Shahnawaz and Johny from the proceedings in connection with the hit and run case.

On Tuesday, Justice Joymalya bagchi set aside the order of the lower court and directed to start proceedings against all three of them under Section 212 of the Indian Penal Code. Under this section, they have been accused of "harboruing offender" as they had "concealed a person whom he knows or has reasons to believe to be the offender, with the intention of screening him from legal punishment; if a capital offence".

Investigation had revealed that Mohammad Sohrab, Shanu and Jhony had helped Sambia to escape soon after the crime that took place on January 13 in 2016 in which an officer of the Indian Air Force was crushed under the wheels of the car that was being driven by Sambia.

It may be recalled that a warrant was also issued against the Md Sohrab. The step was taken when the police failed to arrest him despite issuing the lookout notice. Police had earlier arrested three youth and they had later given bail.

Investigating officers had found complicity of Sohrab in the hit-and-run case. As a result, the warrant was issued against him.

The city police's Detective Department had claimed that Md Sohrab had helped the accused to flee and had tampered with evidence.