David Parish had told the police he was attacked while jogging in Powai on Tuesday morning. But cops suspect he cooked up the story as an excuse to head back to US
A 51-year-old US national, who showed up at the Powai police station on Tuesday with a wound and ripped clothes, claiming three men tried to mug him, is believed to be lying. Police sources say that the Larsen & Toubro employee, David Parish, may have cooked up the story as an excuse not to stay back in the country after his company allegedly asked him to. He left for the US right after reporting the alleged attack, without telling the cops.
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David Parish, 51
After a detailed investigation, the Powai police found that Parish, vice-president and strategic accountant at L&T (Texas), had self-inflicted the wound on his left shoulder. They recovered a bloodstained knife from his room in Ramada Hotel, where he had been put up by the company. Also, CCTV footage shows that he did not leave the hotel on Tuesday morning. “We are unaware of his motives. Also, he did not bother to inform us before leaving the country. Investigations point out that there was no truth in his complaint,” said a police official.
Parish’s version
Parish said that 3 robbers assaulted him around 6.30 am on Tuesday, while he was out jogging near NITIE in Powai
When he visited the police station at 10.30 am, he was wearing a white T-shirt ripped at the back, and had a bandaged wound on his shoulder
Parish claimed that one of the three aggressors assaulted him with a knife, then sped away on a bike
Facts unearthed by cops
CCTV footage from Ramada Hotel , where Parish had been given a room by his company, L&T, shows that he was in the gym at the time
Footage shows Parish meeting his colleagues at the hotel around 9 am, without any injuries. He is seen wearing a blue T-shirt; he had it on since morning
But cops recovered a bloodstained knife from his hotel room. “We found a table knife from his hotel room, which had bloodstains,” police said.
In his complaint, Parish alleged that three masked men accosted him while he was jogging near the NITIE gate. They demanded his cash, phone and money, and threatened to kill him if he did not part with the possessions. Parish said he beat up two of the attackers, who fled. But the third man slashed him with a knife, then sped away on a bike with his accomplices. Based on his statement, cops filed an FIR for attempted robbery and assault.
“He told us he went back to the hotel to tell his colleagues about the incident. They took him to the doctor and then brought him to the police station,” a police officer said. Following the incident, senior cops stationed themselves at Powai police station, ensuring that each lead was followed closely. A manhunt was launched and several suspects with a history of such offences were rounded up. But sources said that after cops crosschecked every detail narrated by the complainant, they found many loopholes in his story.
A bloody excuse?
Sources said cops suspect that Parish furnished a lie, since he had been asked by the company to stay back till January 18, but he wanted to leave before that. Senior Inspector YL Jadhav of Powai police station refused to divulge any details, saying, “We are still investigating the case.” A senior Crime Branch officer, however, confirmed the report, stating, “There are many discrepancies in Parish’s statement, but we are still verifying the facts, since he is a US national.”
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