In a major development in the shootout case in which an alleged attempt on the life of a Ludhiana-based doctor, Sumit Sophat, was made near Morni, the needle of suspicion has moved to the doctor himself.

The Panchkula police are on the lookout for the doctor and have also conducted raids in Ludhiana and Mohali to trace him.

The police first suspected his involvement in the case reportedly after his statements did not match with that of his driver Nelson. On July 19, Nelson received two gunshots on Morni road and the doctor had alleged that the attempt was actually made in his life.

The doctor had claimed that Dr Ramesh Pashan and his son Abhinav, with whom he allegedly had a property dispute, had fired on the car.

“Dr Sumit Sophat, the owner of Sophat Hospital, gave the police team the slip and went back to Ludhiana. After the Pashan family presented evidence before the police that they were in Ludhina at the time of the incident, the role of Dr Sophat came under the scanner and we began searching for him,” said a police officer.

He added, “We got information that Sophat was at his in-laws’ house in Phase 3B1, Mohali, last night. A police party was sent to the place. He was, however, not found there. A police team that went to Ludhiana also returned empty-handed.”

Dr Sophat had lodged a complaint with the Panchkula police stating that he was robbed of Rs 33 lakh by Ramesh Pashan and his son after the firing incident.