Rescue operation in progress at the building collapse site in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Express Photo/Deepak Joshi)
SUNIL SHITAP, accused in the Ghatkopar building collapse that killed 17, was Wednesday remanded in police custody until August 2. Police claimed Shitap made structural changes to his flats on the ground floor, which led to the collapse of the Siddhi Sai Cooperative Housing Society building.
The investigation officer from Parksite police station told the metropolitan magistrate in Vikhroli that the accused had committed a “dangerous” act. The remand application said the investigators were yet to recover the equipment used in making changes to the ground floor flats. The police claimed that no permission was taken from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for making the changes.
The application further said the accused had given the contract of carrying out the repair work to an architect. “The accused has to be questioned about who the architect was and the contractors assigned to make the changes to the structure. If it is found that they were also involved in the illegalities, they would have to be arrested too,” said prosecutor Vaishali Aghawne.
The prosecution also claimed that Shitap was the secretary of the building and that he had sought permission from other flat owners to carry out repairs to his nursing home on the ground floor. The remand application claimed that the accused had threatened the members objecting to him. “We will be recording the statements of the flat members as witnesses in the case,” the prosecutor told the court.
Advocate Sharif Sheikh, representing Shitap, said he had appointed an architect to make changes to the building as it needed urgent ‘tenable’ repairs. “There were cracks on the pillars that required repair. Only the plaster in the flats were removed to make repairs. The accused’s office is in the same building, why would he intend on causing harm to his own employees or the society members,” said Sheikh.
Shitap also told the court that he had surrendered on his own when he learnt of the deaths. On his behalf, Sheikh also submitted photographs to the court claiming that it was in a dilapidated condition with cracks at various places, which required repairs.
He further said it could not be inferred that he had intended to cause death claiming that invoking Section 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was not correct. The police have invoked other sections including 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt) and 34 (common intent) under the Indian Penal Code.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police will check with the BMC if any of the residents of the building had complained about the illegal work carried out by the accused. “One of the survivors has told us that they had approached the BMC on the illegal work carried out by Shitap. However, we would corroborate the same and probe if there was any negligence on the part of the BMC in pursuing the complaint,” said a senior officer who did not wish to be named.
The police also plan to question Shitap’s wife Swati. “The property was jointly owned by the couple and therefore she would be questioned,” said the officer, adding: “We would like to know from her whose idea it was to carry out the alternations. ”
According to a senior official, as soon as it was clear that the alteration work carried out on the ground floor led to the collapse, the owner was located and detained. “A team was sent to Shitap’s residence in Andheri and he was taken into custody,” said the officer who did not wish to be named.
