Raghib Parwez, the prime accused in the Theatre Road hit-and-run case, whose interim bail was cancelled by Calcutta High Court last week, surrendered before a city court on Tuesday.
The surrender came a day after the Supreme Court upheld the high court order cancelling Raghib’s interim bail and setting April 20 as the deadline for his surrender.
Had Raghib not surrendered by Tuesday, the police would have been free to arrest him.
Raghib, a scion of the family that runs the Arsalan chain of restaurants, surrendered before the trial court on the Bankshal court premises on Tuesday and was remanded in judicial custody till May 5.
The police said the court directed the jail authorities to provide proper medication to the accused and keep him “segregated” in the jail.
Raghib has charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash and negligent driving, mischief, jumping signal and destruction of public property against him. If convicted, he can be jailed for up to 10 years.
Raghib was sent to the Presidency correctional home from the Bankshal court.
On the night of August 16, 2019, a Jaguar F-PACE had crashed into a Mercedes E-Class 220d at the Theatre Road-Loudon Street crossing, which in turn had hit two Bangladeshi nationals, killing them on the spot. The police said Raghib was at the wheel of the car.
A chargesheet has been submitted in connection with the case. However, the framing of charges was stalled because of Raghib’s bail in April 2020 on the ground of his “mental illness”.
A purported medical report from a government institute that declared him “fit to face trial” had prompted the high court to cancel his bail and ask him to surrender by April 20.
Raghib’s family had moved the Supreme Court against the high court order but their petition was dismissed.
“The next legal step in the case is framing of charges, which the trial court is likely to do next month,” an officer said.
During framing of charges, the magistrate will evaluate the charges slapped by the police against the evidence collected and submitted along with the chargesheet.
“The court has the power to add or remove some sections. The trial will start under the sections approved by the court,” a criminal lawyer said.
Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/calcutta/raghib-parwez-surrenders-in-calcutta-court/cid/1813187
