PTI Photo Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) would now be impleaded as a respondent in the criminal Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that has sought a thorough probe by the central agency in the Elphinstone road stampede incident. This comes after the Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the petitioners to implead NIA as a respondent. A division bench of Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Sandeep Shinde also asked the petitioner Faisal Banaraswala to rope in Western Railways (Mumbai) as a party.
The judges have also asked Banaraswala to serve notices to the authorities within three weeks. The judges would take up the matter for hearing after three weeks. In his PIL filed through advocate Gunratan Sadavrate, the petitioner Banaraswala has sought a thorough probe by the NIA in the tragic incident that claimed 23 lives and left more than 30 injured.
The PIL has also sought compensation as well as a permanent job in Railways to the family members of the victims who lost their lives in the stampede. He has also sought directions to the Railways to make apt arrangements for the safety of the commuters by removing the hawkers and all other obstacles that hinder the smooth movement of commuters on platforms as well as bridges. Apart from this, Banaraswala has also sought directions to the Railways to make available Ambulance and other Health services at all the railway stations in Mumbai and Thane.
