Kolkata hit and run case: Court rejects Sambia Shorab's bail plea, grants it to 2 friends

A city court on Friday rejected the bail plea of Sambia Sohrab who was allegedly driving an Audi SUV that killed an Indian Air Force officer here on January 13 during rehearsals for the Rebublic Day parade. The court, however granted bail to Sambia's friends Johnny and Sanu who were in a car accompanying the SUV.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Ranjan Pal granted the bail prayers of Johnny and Sanu who were charged under sections 201 (causing disappearence of evidence) and 212 (harbouring an offender) of IPC. The two are friends of Sambia, son of former RJD MLA Mohammed Sohrab, and had fled the city together following the offence. All of them were arrested by the Kolkata Police later.

The prosecution filed the charge sheet in the case yesterday and sought custodial trial of Sambia claiming that it was a deliberate act of murder. Sambia has been charged under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC and different sections of Motor Vehicles Act.

Mohammed Sohrab, former MLA from Barabazar here and an influential fruit merchant and builder, had also fled his residence along with his elder son Sambia Sohrab following the incident and is yet to be traced. Both are wanted by the city police for allegedly harbouring Sambia.