On Saturday the Jaguar Mercedes allegedly being driven by Arsalan , 22, son of the owner of Arsalan, a Kolkata-based restaurant chain, was speeding at 100-120 km per hour before it was involved in the accident that left two people dead on Friday night, initial investigation has revealed. But on Wednesday the scenario had turned and a new twist to the findings were discovered.

According to police source it came out that, at the time of accident,  Arsalan Parwez was not in the driver seat. The jaguar was driven by his elder brother Raghib Parwez.

Arsalan was arrested on Saturday after the Jaguar he was allegedly driving at very high speed crashed into a Mercedes the night before. The Mercedez car subsequently hit a traffic kiosk, where a group of three Bangladeshi tourists, who were waiting there trying to save themselves from a downpour, took the full impact. Two of the tourists were killed and the third, along with occupants of the Mercedes, were injured.

But on Wednesday, through a press conference Kolkata Police claimed Arsalan was not at the Wheel on August 16 at around 1.50 am at Shakespeare Sarani and Loudon Street crossing. His elder brother was at the wheel!

Arsalan allegedly tried to mislead the police to save his elder brother. However the city police recovered the data recorder of that car, that was being driven at a speed between 100-120km per hour. After thorough examination of that car by the Homicide department as well as the Forensic and Cybar teams, the case took a dramatic turn.

In the press conference at Lalbazar Murali Dhar Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) told, “Based on the all evidence and confession of Arsalan Parwez, it is clear that, Arsalan’s elder brother Raghib was driving the car and responsible for the accident.”

Sharma added, “After checking the car’s control panel, the infotainment data revealed that a person named Raghib Parwez had used the car prior to the accident.”

The Homicide department became suspicious at the time of reconstruction of the incident. One of the officer of Homicide squad told, “We have examined Arsalan Parwez mobile tower locations on that night and it was found that Arsalan was not present at Park Street and adjacent area when the accident had happened.”

Apart from these another issue surprised Kolkata Police. Following several tests carried out by experts, it has come that the car’s airbag had opened during the accident. In this regard the city police told, “If the air bag opens, the driver gets an impact on his body which is known as Silicon bite. But medical examination of Arsalan did not find such a thing. Then the question raised if the car was being driven by someone else.”

Arsalan’s elder brother 25 year old Raghib is the face of Arsalan group and in charge of outlet’s of Mumbai and Dubai branches.

Raghib, who had fled to Dubai, returned on Monday. On Wednesday he was arrested from a private nursing home on Circus avenue with his Uncle who helped him leave the country after the accident.

Apart from this Kolkata Traffic Police’s database shows that the same vehicle was caught by speed guns on 43 occasions over the last nine months, according to police sources. It is also learnt that between November 2018 and July 12 this year, the car has accrued as many as 48 “citation cases”.

As per Arsalan family statement after the accident Raghib too was hurt and came out of the car but slipped away from the place, realising the cops and bystanders were busy with the victims. He had his passports and other credentials with him and called up another relative, who picked him up a little away from the place and took him to a hideout and later drove him to the airport. Raghib took a flight on the same night and fled to Dubai.

308IPC (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 304 II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 279 IPC (rash driving) to be slapped on Raghib Parwez.

On the other hand though the younger brother Arsalan can apply for bail. He and others in the family can be charged with destroying evidences, harbouring offenders and criminal conspiracy.