Hit-and-run case: Police arrest businessman, cousin

A 27-year-old businessman and his cousin have been arrested in connection with the Mercedes hit-and-run case in which a 17-year-old boy was killed in outer Delhi's Paschim Vihar area.
Savneet Singh alias Aman was apprehended yesterday by the Crime Branch and handed over to the district police who arrested him today.
His cousin Hashmeet Singh, who was also present in the
Car when it allegedly hit the teenager, was called to join the probe and later arrested, police said.
Savneet has been booked for rash and negligent driving and causing death by negligence while his cousin has been arrested for allegedly helping him in evading arrest and trying to destroy evidence.

Both of them will be produced in the court tomorrow for judicial test identification parade, said Raishi Pal, deputy commissioner of police (outer district) Rishi Pal.

Savneet was apprehended yesterday around 9 PM by Crime Branch from near Vishal Cineplex in west Delhi's Rajouri Garden area by a Crime Branch team, said Praveer Ranjan, joint commissioner of police (Crime).
Savneet and Hashmeet, residents of Meera Bagh in Paschim Vihar, had gone to eat chicken rolls in GH-13 market of Paschim Vihar and roamed in the area for around an hour.
While they were leaving the market, their car allegedly hit 17-year-old Atul Arora's scooter near GH-9.

It is suspected that they were under the influence of alcohol but it is being investigated, said another officer.
"The accused driver overtook a tempo from the wrong side and they didn't see the scooter rider.
"They rammed into the scooter and Atul was flung in the air and landed on the car whose windshield was completely destroyed. Despite that, they allegedly didn't stop the vehicle and kept on driving," said the other officer.
The boy fell from the car and died on the spot because of the severe head injuries sustained as a result of hitting the road, he added.

Savneet told police that he had got a call about a fire breaking out in a restaurant adjacent to his furniture shop in Tilak Nagar and was in a hurry.
"He is claiming that a fire had broken out at a restaurant located next to his furniture shop on Jail Road in Tilak Nagar.
Savneet and Hashmeet did not stop after allegedly hitting Atul and kept on driving. After driving for around 1.5 km, they stopped at a vacant plot in Paschim Vihar area to take stock of the situation, said the police officer.
They reportedly had a fight with the plot owner over standing there and had to leave from there.

Later, they went to a friend's house in Rajouri Garden, who allegedly asked them to break the numberplate and hide it in the dicky of the car, said the officer.
After parking the car at their friend's place, they went to Tilak Nagar, he said, adding that their claims about the fire are being verified.
On that day, they did not tell their family members about the accident. It was only after they saw that the incident was being played out on news channels that they confided in their family members about the accident.
It is also suspected that Savneet hid at the houses of his friends and even had plans to destroy the car.

"They had thought that they have given a slip to police and won't be arrested. During interrogation, Savneet and Hashmeet didn't show remorse. Hashmeet called it just 'an accident'," said an officer privy to the probe.
Ranjan said the incident was totally blind except for the fact that the offending vehicle is a Mercedes.
The grill and logo of the car had been found on the spot and police was looking for the vehcile and its driver by questioning various workshops in the national capital.
Before the police managed to trace the accused, they had seized another Mercedes yesterday.
There was a Mercedes that was involved in an accident yesterday in west Delhi's Tilak Nagar area and it was thought that it could be the offending vehicle, a source said.

However, after the driver was questioned and other facts were verified, it was found to be having no connection with the Paschim Vihar accident.
Yesterday, a police informer, whom the accused allegedly had come to meet to dispose off his car, told police about him.
A team led by ACP Sanjay Sehrawat under the supervision of DCP(Crime) Madhur Verma was constituted and a trap was laid.
Savneet was apprehended and he has been handed over to district police for further action, said Ranjan.
The Merceded car was also recovered. Local police has been informed accordingly.
His cousin, Hashmeet, who works with FIS Global Business Solutions India Pvt Ltd in Cyber Hub, Gurugram, was called today to join the investigation.

The FSL and crime teams conducted an examination of the Mercedes and have matched the logo and the grill found at the spot with the recovered vehicle, the source said.
However, no evidence of any alcohol consumption by the accused driver, has been found so far in the vehicle.
The victim was returning home on a scooter from a function when the Mercedes rammed into his vehicle on March 5.
The impact of the collision was such that the victim was flung in the air and suffered severe head injuries.