Tobacco baron K.K. Mishra on Tuesday told Kanpur police that his son, Shivam, was not driving the Lamborghini that ploughed into six pedestrians on Sunday.

Mishra told cops at Gwaltoli police station that Shivam was in the back seat while a driver, Mohan, was at the wheel.

The police had said Shivam, 26, was at the wheel and that they were in possession of CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts to substantiate this in court.

Known for his clout in local political circles because of his opulence, Mishra also claimed that his son was unwell at the time of the incident and his condition deteriorated eventually.

"Shivam has been sent to Delhi for treatment," he said, adding that a bouncer who was in another car behind the Lamborghini had brought him home.

“His condition was deteriorating and he was unconscious when brought home. We spoke to our doctor in Delhi and sent him there in a car after some primary medication,” said Mishra. Accompanied by his lawyers, Mishra added: "Mohan was in the driver’s seat at the time of the accident. The police have wrongly implicated Shivam in the case.”

Mrityunjay Singh, another lawyer hired by Mishra, said: “We’ll move court against any such police report."

Kanpur police commissioner Raghubir Lal said: "We have withdrawn Gwaltoli inspector Santosh Gaur from active duty and sent him to the police lines till the inquiry conclude. He has been charged with hiding the identity of Shivam initially and not taking timely action against him. Initially, there was no name in the FIR but now we have named Shivam. Further action will be initiated against him once the inquiry is complete."

Asked about the police commissioner's statement that CCTV footage and other evidence indicated Shivam was driving, Mishra said this was incorrect. The Kanpur police, however, dismissed the claim of the father and the lawyers, maintaining that the investigation so far has confirmed Shivam to be the driver at the time of the crash.

"An FIR may sometimes contain incorrect or incomplete details initially. During the investigation, Shivam Mishra's involvement was confirmed through evidence, CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts," Lal said.

Mishra has said he and his son would cooperate with the investigation once Shivam's health improves.