Corporal Abhimanyu Gaud was at the Republic Day practice parade in Kolkata when the Audi hit him. (PTI file photo)
The brother of one of three persons arrested in the Audi hit-and-run case has claimed a relation of the main accused is trying to tamper with evidence and frame an innocent. In a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he has also claimed the man has the support of a police officer.
"I hope and pray action be taken against these people and we get a fair and clean trial," the letter to the Chief Minister read.
On January 13, an Air Force corporal was killed when a speeding Audi violated traffic regulations and hit him on Red Road. The corporal, 21-year-old Abhimanyu Gaud, was rehearsing for the Republic Day parade with other defence personnel. After hitting the corporal, the Audi Q7 had rammed a barricade before coming to a stop. The driver left the car and ran away.
Three men were arrested in the case: Main accused Sambia Shorab, who was allegedly driving the car, and his friends Shahnawaz Khan or Shanu and Noor Alam or Jonny. Sambia's father Mohammad Shorab is known to be close to Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress.
Sambia Sohrab is the son of Mohammad Sohrab, a former RJD legislator and reported to be a Trinamool member
The letter -- dated January 27 and stamped as received by the chief minister's office -- is written by Khalid Khan, elder brother of Shanu. In his letter, he claimed Mohammad Shorab's brother, Mohammad Ali, also known as Raju, is trying to frame Shanu.
"These people are extremely sourceful (sic) and influential. They are trying their best to frame Shanu of the crime he didn't commit," Mr Khan wrote.
In the letter, there is also reference to a recorded phone call made allegedly by Raj, a man close to Sambia, to the brother of the third person arrested in the case. The letter says Raj asked that Jonny tell the police that Shanu and not Sambia was driving the Audi when it hit the corporal.
NDTV could not independently confirm the identity of the purported caller.
Jonny and Shanu, have told the police that Sambia was with them till just before the accident and was driving drunk. They claim that they had an argument with Sambia when he ignored their advice to avoid drink driving.
The letter sent by Khalid Khan, elder brother of accused Shahnawaz Khan.