Bridge collapse: HC grants bail to auditor, ex-BMC employees

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted bail to structural auditor Neeraj Desai and three former civic body officials, arrested in the CST foot- over bridge collapse case.

Prima facie there appeared to be no case under the IPC section 304 (II) (culpable homicide), the judge observed.

On March 14, 2019, a part of the bridge connecting north-end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station in south Mumbai to Badaruddin Tayabji Lane, known as Himalaya foot-over bridge, collapsed and crashed onto the road below.

Seven persons were killed in the incident and 30 injured.

Justice S K Shinde on Wednesday granted bail on a surety of Rs 50,000 to Desai and three others -- Sandip Kakulte, Anil Patil and Shitala Prasad Kori (former employees of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation).

The former civic body officials, who were working in the bridges department, were accused of failing to oversee the structural audit of the bridge, carried out by Desai's firm.

The high court, while granting them bail, noted that investigation was complete and the accused were in jail since March this year.

"Prima facie, the material on record does not suggest that the applicants had knowledge that the alleged act of omission to verify the thickness of members (parts) of steel of the bridge with the original drawings and omission to take remedial measure would cause collapse of the bridge," the court said in its order.

Desai's firm could not verify thickness of the slabs of the bridge as it was not given the original drawings by the civic body, the HC noted.

"Prima-facie, facts of the case do not suggest commission of an offence under Section 304 (II) (culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code," the court said.