The accused, son of a retired Inspector General of Police of Punjab, alleged in court that he was beaten up by cops at the crime spot in Lokhandwala

Multitasking is an art — some are better at it than the rest. Paramveer Sandhu, it appears, belongs in the latter category. The 41-year-old son of a retired Inspector General of Police of Punjab was arrested in the wee hours of Monday after colliding with a hawker in Lokhandwala, Andheri (West). Sandhu was allegedly kissing his girlfriend sitting on the adjacent seat when he lost control of his Ford Endeavour and injured the cyclist.

The drama, however, had just begun. When the accused was taken to Versova police station, he abused the duty officer and other police inspectors. When he was presented in court on Monday morning, he alleged he was harassed and beaten up by cops.

Lip service!
According to Nandkumar Mhetar, senior police inspector from Versova, Sandhu, who stays at Juhu Omkar building located on Juhu-Versova Link Road in Andheri (West), was travelling in his SUV with friend Poonam Sompat (30) at 1.20 am. The accused had reached Swami Samarth circle at Lokhandwala, when he lost control of the vehicle and rammed Ram Prakash Sagar Singh, who was on a bicycle. Singh, who was travelling towards his house in Santacruz, received injuries after he fell off his cycle due to the impact.

Mhetar said that after the accident Sandhu attempted to flee and a journalist Abdul Kazi chased him in his Tata Sumo. Sandhu was nabbed near HDFC Bank at Four Bungalows by locals who began thrashing him. Kazi called up the police and reported the incident. Singh was taken to Cooper hospital were he was discharged after treatment.

Family connection
Meanwhile, Versova police reached the spot and arrested Sandhu. The accused — who owns a film production company — and his friend Sompat were brought to the police station. Cops said that Sompat was so skimpily dressed that they had to call for a pair of clothes for her to change into from her house. “When we brought Sandhu to the police station he began abusing the duty officer, claiming he was the son of an IGP. When we took him to Cooper hospital for medical examination, he abused the doctor as well. Sandhu did not allow his blood sample to be collected. However, the doctor confirmed the accused was under the influence of alcohol,” said Mhetar.

Versova police arrested Sandhu for rash and drunken driving and abusing a public servant. Cops are now verifying the documents of the vehicle to find out whether Sandhu is actually its owner. They have also asked RTO officers to check the SUV and provide a report.

Cooked up?
Police officers added that when Sandhu was taken to the Andheri court on Monday morning, he alleged that three police officers held him at the spot and assaulted him there. Sandhu was remanded to police custody for a day. “The court has ordered to get his medical examination done, after which there would be an inquiry. We, however, have the CCTV recording from the police station where Sandhu abused and shouted at policemen, flaunting his father’s name. We also have witnesses like Sompat and the doctor of Cooper hospital,” said Mhetar.