19-yr-old girl held,out on bail

During her interrogation,Sukhmani told the police that she went to the US last year after completing her 10+2 from Vivek High School,and had come to India about a week ago to attend Colonel Brar’s daughter’s wedding,who was her cousin. Before moving to USA,Sukhmani had been staying with her grandparents in Sector 9,Chandigarh ever since her mother passed away. Her father is based in Dubai.

Sukhmani surrendered at the Sector 3 police station at 4.30 pm on Wednesday. She was accompanied by her uncle,Colonel Brar. The Honda Accord (CH-03-R-0018),which was involved in the accident,is registered in the name of Colonel (retd) J S Brar,Col B S Brar’s father,who resides in Sector 36.

According to the police,Sukhmani went underground last night after the mishap. “She sped away from the spot in a Swift car and then went to Delhi. She then returned this afternoon to surrender before the police,” said an investigating officer. Meanwhile,KBDAV School authorities clarified that the girls who were driving the cars were never their students,as reported by a section of the media.

Police dismiss speedracing theory

While the lone eyewitness in the case,Sarabjit,said he saw the two cars racing and the girl driving Honda Accord (now identified as Sukhmani) speed away in the Swift car (PB-65-E-2040),the police on Wednesday contradicted his claim and said the girl had called two of her male friends,who came in the Swift car and went away with them. The two youths whom she called have been identified as Armandeep and Rahul. Both used to study with her in Ryan International School from where she did her Class X boards.

car owner first denies,then says sorry

“Whatever happened is very unfortunate. I am too shocked to say anything. Sukhmani,too,is in a state of shock and is feeling terribly sorry. Nothing can be amended now; our condolences are with the families,” said Colonel B S Brar.

Earlier in the day,Brar kept on misleading the police and mediapersons and said it was his driver who committed the accident. “It was my driver,who had taken the car from Golf Club. My father was playing golf at that time. I got a call from my driver,who informed me that the car has met with an accident. Ever since,I am trying to trace my driver. I do not know his whereabouts,” he had told mediapersons.

Police going soft in the case?

The Chandigarh Police are yet to initiate proceedings against the people who helped Sukhmani abscond from the spot. Newsline spoke to legal and medical experts about this case and came up with some discoveries.

* No action has been taken against people with whom Sukhmani sped away from the spot. But according to legal experts,people with whom she escaped from the spot must be booked on charges of harbouring accused and destroying evidence

* No action yet against Colonel B S Brar,who kept on misleading the police throughout the day. According to legal experts,he must also be booked on charges of harbouring the accused

* The police could not get the girl medically examined on time. “The alcohol content,which could have been detected during the medical examination at night,must have reduced considerably after 18-20 hours,” said a senior doctor posted at GMSH-16.

* The girl,who was accompanying Sukhmani at the time of accident,was not questioned

It is a tad surprising that the police took so long to identify and arrest the accused when they had traced the Honda Accord to the owner,Colonel (retd) J S Brar. Station House Officer,Police Station-3,Inspector Mahabir Singh,accompanied by Sub-Inspector Mohan Lal and a woman assistant sub-inspector had reached the Brar’s house at Sector 36 half past midnight. The three officers kept on ringing the door bell,but got no response. A few girls were seen at the top floor of the house; a few people were also seen moving in the front room of the house. The girls were repeatedly asked by the police to open the door,but they refused. The three officers then returned empty-handed. This morning again,the police went to the same house and met Col B S Brar,who finally accompanied Sukhmani to the police station in the evening.