Investigators are now probing the possibility that the alleged assault and burning took place in Sector 34 itself.The Chandigarh Police on Wednesday said that they made the first arrest in connection with the abduction and death of Punjabi social media influencer Manjit Kaur nearly two months ago, and that the interrogation of the accused opened a fresh line of investigation into what happened on the intervening night of July 3 and 4.Police said Paraminder Singh, alias Pinda (25), an associate of the main accused Rinku, and a resident of Khanowal in Kapurthala district, was arrested while travelling in a Fortuner at the Sector 48 motor market on Wednesday.Police sources, however, said that investigators ruled out the Fortuner as the vehicle used in the crime. Investigators are now focusing on a white Swift that emerged as the suspected vehicle used in the alleged abduction and subsequent movement of Kaur, they said.Police produced Pinda before a district court on Wednesday and got a four-day remand to question him about his alleged role in the incident, the white Swift, his movements with Rinku and Kaur, the alleged altercation at Sector 34 and what happened after Kaur was attacked, they said.According to police sources, the arrest is significant as investigators struggled to find a concrete lead about the vehicle used to whisk Kaur away. By the time investigators began reconstructing her movements, much of the CCTV footage and the suspected route had already been overwritten, they added.Fresh interrogation reveals Sector-34 angleAccording to police sources, Pinda’s interrogation has also given investigators a new possible sequence of events.According to preliminary details, Pinda told investigators that Rinku and Kaur had an argument over an issue before the incident, which escalated into a scuffle after they reached Sector 34, they said.Story continues below this adInvestigators are now probing the possibility that the alleged assault and burning took place in Sector 34 itself.According to the account emerging from Pinda’s interrogation, after the argument, Kaur was taken to a location near a park in Sector 34 where she was allegedly assaulted and then set on fire, police sources said.Investigators are, however, corroborating this version with technical and forensic evidence before concluding.Morinda theory being revisitedAccording to the initial investigation, Kaur was allegedly abducted at Sector 34 and taken to a forested area near Morinda, where she was reportedly tied to a tree, doused with oil and set ablaze. A person known to Kaur reached the spot and managed to douse the flames using a blanket. She was taken to a local hospital and later referred to PGIMER. She was subsequently shifted to Max Hospital in Mohali before being referred back to PGIMER. Kaur died on August 26 due to an infection during the treatment.Story continues below this adThe latest leads prompted investigators to revisit the earlier sequence of events and examine whether the alleged assault and burning took place in Sector 34, with Kaur subsequently being moved for medical treatment, police sources said.Who is Pinda?Pinda had an immigration business in Kharar, but started working as Rinku’s driver a few days before the incident. Police said the two were also friends.During the interrogation, police sources said Pinda allegedly told investigators that Kaur was in a relationship with Rinku, and that he only assisted Rinku.The arrest provides police with a direct link to Rinku, the key accused who remains at large. Kaur’s mother, Kanta Devi, had named Rinku in her statement to the police.Story continues below this adSeven-week pregnancy: autopsy reportThe case took another turn after Kaur’s autopsy found she was pregnant by seven weeks.According to police sources, investigators are also probing whether her pregnancy and issues surrounding the unborn child were linked to the dispute preceding the alleged attack. “The identity of the child’s father and other related facts are expected to be established through DNA examination,” a police officer said.Meanwhile, police teams are conducting raids at various locations to trace and arrest Rinku.