Thane building collapse case: 2 builders withdraw bail pleas

Thane: Two builders, arrested along with 20 others, in connection with the building collapse in Mumbra town in the district in April, which claimed 74 lives and left 62 injured, today withdrew their bail applications in a sessions court here. Their counsel Sunil Bhakre informed the Thane Session Judge, K R Warrier, that the builders would like to withdraw the bail applications as the charge sheet in the case has been filed now. [caption id=“attachment_934523” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] The two builders Abdul Salim Aziz Siddiqui and Jamil Ahmed Jajaluddin Shaikh, had been arrested after the seven-storey building in Shil Phata area of Mumbra township in the district collapsed on April 4. Siddiqui and Shaikh had filed bail application. Leading criminal lawyer Majid Memon appeared on behalf of the duo and argued for their bail. However, Additional Public Prosecutor Hemlata Deshmukh appearing for the prosecution opposed the bail of all the applicants on the ground that they do not deserve to be released on bail as they had committed a “grave crime”. Others arrested in the case are Deputy Municipal Commissioners Deepak Chavan and Srikant Sarmokdam, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Babasaheb Andale, enigneer Ramesh Inamdar, corporator Hira Patil and police constable Jehangir Sayyed, among others. Police have filed a 3000-pages charge sheet in the court a couple weeks back and the case is likely to be tried fast track. Bakre told PTI that the duo would file a fresh bail application at appropriate time. PTI