Deceased’s father demands probe into friend’s role

The father of the 36-year-old businessman who died days after being brutally assaulted in Connaught Place has demanded a thorough probe into the role of his son’s friend, alleging that he was present throughout the incident and has been misguiding the family while repeatedly changing his statements.

Shivam Gupta, a resident of East Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar, died on January 19, days after being allegedly punched, kicked and beaten on the head with a helmet by food delivery agents following an argument near Connaught Place in the early hours of January 3.

Shivam’s father, Anil Kant Gupta, said Pankaj, an old friend of his son and a resident of Geeta Colony, was with the victim at the time of the incident and had taken him out that night.  “Pankaj had taken my son with him. When I later saw the CCTV footage and realised that he was with Shivam at the spot, I started questioning him about what exactly happened,” Gupta said.

He further said that he has been continuously misguiding us and is also changing his statements.  Gupta alleged that Pankaj was one of the persons who remained with Shivam throughout the night and could be seen standing near him in the CCTV footage when he lay injured on the road near Rajiv Chowk Metro Station.

“He is an old friend of my son and was one of the people who was with him all the time. Police must question him properly. He was present during the incident and can clearly tell what happened with my son,” Gupta said.

The victim’s father also pointed to multiple versions of how the quarrel began, saying the conflicting theories further strengthen the need to closely examine the role of all those present, including Pankaj.

“Some people are saying my son asked for a matchbox from the food delivery agents, and that led to a verbal spat. I was told by the police earlier that he had asked for water. Others are saying an argument broke out after his bike’s handle brushed against a delivery agent’s vehicle,” he said, adding that there are too many versions and “the truth has to come out”.

According to the police, a PCR call was received around 1.30 am on January 3 about an unconscious man lying on the road near E Block, close to Rajiv Chowk Metro Station.