The police sleuths are also having a tough time in ascertaining how many persons were there in the white Audi that killed IAF officer Abhimanyu Gaud.
A city court today issued arrest warrant of Mohammed Sohrab, father of Sambia Sohrab, prime accused in the January 13 hit-and-run case in which an IAF officer was mowed down by a speeding car during Republic Day parade rehearsal.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Bankshal Court, Sanjay Ranjan Pal, issued the warrant against Mohammed Sohrab, said to be a Trinamool Congress member, on Kolkata Police prayer.
Kolkata Police Joint Commissioner (Crime) Debasish Boral said the senior Sohrab could be a "key" person in cracking the case and hence the plea for the warrant was made.
"We believe that Mohammed Sohrab knows much of what happened after the January 13 mishap. Going by the developments in the case, it seems he had helped Sambia and others to flee. Getting him will help us in the investigation in the case," Mr Boral said.
Mohammed Sohrab, said to be a Trinamool member and a former RJD legislature, and Ambia, his elder son, have been absconding since January 13 and police have launched a search for the duo in and outside the state. Sambia and his two friends Shahnawaz Khan alias Sonu and Johnny were arrested.
Incidentally, Trinamool has distanced itself from Mohammed Sohrab saying that the party has no connection with the person driving the Audi or his father.
"The culprits must certainly be booked as per law of the land. We have nothing to do with them and have never had anything to do with them," Trinamool national spokesperson Derek O'Brien had said in a statement.
On whether any of the arrested persons have confessed their crime, Boral said the three have been constantly giving contradictory statements.
According to another senior officer of the Anti-Rowdy Section, the trio had been taken to the spot on the Red Road for a reconstruction of the mishap. Now the police are mulling to take them there separately to know how they escaped from the scene.
The police sleuths are also having a tough time in ascertaining how many persons were there in the white Audi that killed IAF officer Abhimanyu Gaud.
All the three 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) and have been remanded to police custody till January 3.