Kolkata hit-and-run case: Friend admits Sambia was 'intoxicated'

Sambia Sohrab, the son of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, was heavily intoxicated the night he allegedly ran his Audi SUV over an Indian Air Force corporal in Kolkata last Wednesday, said his friend Johnny.

Johnny, who was with Sambia that night, is seen in a video posted on YouTube narrating what happened before Sambia allegedly ran over the corporal.

"That day my friends and I were drinking when we were joined by Shanu (Shahnawaz Ali) and Sambia. They also drank with us and after that we all left in four cars each. A Swift, Skoda, Audi and a white Fortuner. We told Sambia that he was drunk and that he should not drive and stop the car, but he refused to listen to anyone," he said.

"We all got into our cars, gave him his keys and told him to do whatever he wants. Shanu, however, begged him to not drive but Sambia started fighting with him and got into his car and drove away," Johnny added.

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The group then left together and Sambia in an intoxicated state charged through a police barricade. The rest were stopped by the police, who told them that it was a no entry zone due the 26 January parade practice and assured that a case would be filed on Sambia for barging into the closed road.

"It was only in the morning we found out that all this happened and came to know that the police was looking for us. We were scared and did not talk to the police immediately," he said in the video clip.

Shahnawaz Ali's brother Kabir Khan, who is the key eyewitness in the hit and run case, earlier said that Sambia was driving the car and asserted that his brother has no role to play in the tragic incident.

"He (Ali) said that Sambia was driving the car and that he (Ali) has no role to play. Ali was travelling in a different vehicle not the Audi. The day this incident took place he called me at 6.10 p.m, and said he had altercation with Sambia Sohrab around 4 pm and that he got down from the vehicle of Sambia and got into another vehicle," Khan told ANI.

Sambia was arrested last night around 11.10 p.m. by the Kolkata Police while he was heading towards his in-laws' house.

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Sambia, who is expected to be produced before the court today, was behind the wheels of the Audi car which allegedly mowed down IAF officer Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud during a rehearsal of Republic Day parade here on January 13.