Mumbai: Ghatkopar building collapse accused Sunil Shitap sent to police remand till August 8

The accused Shiv Sena leader in the Ghatkopar building collapse case, Sunil Shitap was produced in the Vikhroli metropolitan magistrate's court on Wednesday.

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Mumbai: Ghatkopar building collapse accused Sunil Shitap sent to police remand till August 8
The rescue operations have been stopped after 32 hours.

In Short

  • The accused Shiv Sena leader Sunil Shitap was produced in Vikhroli court.
  • Shitap has been sent to police custody remand till August 2.
  • Meanwhile, the rescue operations have been stopped after 32 hours.

The accused Shiv Sena leader in the Ghatkopar building collapse case, Sunil Shitap was produced in the Vikhroli metropolitan magistrate's court on Wednesday. The accused's lawyer advocate Sharif Shaikh argued that the charge under Section 304(2) of IPC doesn't stand against his client as he had no intent of causing any collapse or damage to the building.

Meanwhile, the rescue operations have been stopped after 32 hours.

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He also stated that Shitap had asked the residents of the ill-fated building Sai Damodar Park to carry out repairs as the building was in a bad state, but the residents refused. Advocate Shaikh also said that Shitap hadn't made any structural changes that could have led to the collapse so there is no need for him to be sent to police custody remand.

The public prosecutor Vaishali Agavane argued that Shitap needs to be sent to police custody remand for at least ten days as police have to probe role of other accused involved. The remand sought by police said that tools used in renovations work carried out in the ground floor premises have to be recovered, other accused in the case, like contractors, workers and architects are to be identified and arrested.

Agavane also claimed that Shitap wasn't cooperating and didn't reveal details about the contractors and workers he had employed for the renovation work.

Hearing arguments from both sides, the judge sent Shitap to police custody remand till August 2. The Parksite Police would interrogate Shitap to identify other accused involved in the case and would arrest them.

Meanwhile, proppings have been recovered from the collapse site which are suspected to be the ones used by Shitap in the ground floor premises where he ran his nursing home. Proppings are used only at sites where there are chances that the ceiling or upper floors might collapse which hints that Shitap and the contractors had an idea or suspected a collapse.

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