Delhi Police today recorded the statements of four friends of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania, who died after being assaulted here, at Lajpat Nagar police station here.
In their statements before the police, the four friends, who included a girl, told the police that a compromise between Tania and the shop-owner was reached even before police had reached the spot.
Police also said the two brothers Sunder (27) and Pawan (27 were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the death of Tania after witnesses said they had also slapped and passed racist remarks at Nido.
Yesterday, the counsel of the two brothers had sought bail for them in the court arguing they were witnesses in the case and the police have falsely implicated them.
Family members of the brothers also claimed they are social workers and were only trying to help the victim and were not part of the mob. Locals said the two brothers are AAP members and had campaigned for the party in Delhi assembly elections.
"Investigations have also revealed that on the day of the incident, Tania, who was beaten up by the shop-owner, identified as Farman, and the locals, had mutually settled the issue with him and paid a sum of Rs 7,000. It was only later when Farman saw Tania's other friends that he made a PCR call fearing a backlash," said a police official.
The PCR on reaching the spot made them give it in writing that both the parties did not want a case and did not wish to undergo a medical examination. Later, Tania was handed over to a friend of the family Vinod R Bansal and his friend Varun with whom he left the police station, he said.
Investigators also questioned his friends on how he was feeling and what he ate after reaching his residence in Green Park. According to the friends, they were all awake till 5 am and Tania was not feeling well. The friends said he did not eat anything.
"The cause of the death is still a mystery in the case which will be clear only after the autopsy report and the toxicology report will reveal the exact details," the official said.
Meanwhile, the protest demanding justice for Tania continued for the fifth day at Jantar Mantar here.
