1. Ghatkopar Building Collapse: Sena Man ‘Solely Responsible’ For Loss Of Life And Property
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has held Sunil Shitap of the Shiv Sena directly responsible for the collapse of Siddhi Sai building in Ghatkopar last month that claimed 17 lives. “It is beyond any doubt that the unauthorised work carried out by Shitap at the ground floor is the trigger for collapse of this structure and hence he is solely responsible for the loss of life and property in this building collapse,” the civic body’s enquiry committee report says, further recommending that he “be prosecuted for this crime by the police and MCGM under appropriate sections.” The report also recommends enquiry of its own staff for not discharging duties properly.
Soon after the collapse of Siddhi Sai Housing society in Ghatkopar on July 25, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta constituted a committee headed by additional commissioner Vijay Singhal to probe the matter. The committee took into consideration documents from its local office, witness statements, staff statements and the report of a structural consultant to find out what led to the collapse. The report has also made a host of recommendations to prevent any such incidents in the future. “We will ensure that all recommendations made by the committee are put into effect immediately. Also, all the accused will be given exemplary punishment,” Mehta told Mirror. Shitap was arrested a day after the collapse.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
2. Purohit Back In Army Cantt
Having spent around nine years in prison, Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit on Wednesday walked out of Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai after being granted bail by the Supreme Court in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
After coming out of prison around 10.45 am, a team of military police and the army’s Quick Response Team escorted Purohit to a military station in Colaba.
A bench of Justices RK Agrawal and AM Sapre had said they were setting aside an April 25 Bombay High Court order denying Purohit bail.
Six people were killed in a bomb blast on September 29, 2008, in Malegaon, in Nashik district.
On Tuesday, Purohit was produced before the special NIA court hearing the accused on framing of charges in the case. In the afternoon, Purohit’s lawyers in Delhi approached the Supreme Court, seeking to modify bail conditions. They then initiated the procedure for getting a release order, which the special NIA court issued in the evening.
Police on Tuesday escorted Purohit back to Taloja jail a little after 6.30 pm. An army vehicle reached the jail to convey Purohit, but left as formalities for his release were pending. On Tuesday, all formalities were complete, and Purohit was released.
“I want to wear my uniform. It is the outermost layer of my skin; I am wedded to it. I am very happy to get back into the service of the best organisation in the country, if not the world, the Indian Army,” Purohit said on Tuesday, outside the sessions court where had been brought for a hearing on framing of charges.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
3. Mumbai Minor Who Kidnapped, Murdered 4-Year-Old Girl To Be Tried As Adult
One of the two minors booked in connection with the kidnapping and murder and of a four-year-old girl from Dongri in December 2016 will now be prosecuted as an adult before the sessions court.
On Tuesday evening, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) held that the murder was “heinous” and that according to amended provisions of the Indian Penal Code, minors between 16 and 18 years can be prosecuted as adults in regular courts, if they are accused in connection with crimes such as rape and murder.
The prosecution said the girl, Zumeda Mumtaz Khan, a resident of Sharbatwala Building in Donkan Road, went missing on December 5. Her body was discovered on December 24.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Dabholkar-Pansare Murders: Use Technology To Track Down Accused, Bombay Hc Tells Agencies
The Bombay high court on Wednesday said that the investigating agencies should use modern methods in their attempts to trace two suspects involved in the murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and CPI leader Govind Pansare.
After perusing reports submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the state Special Investigation Team (SIT), the division bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice Vibha Kankanwadi said that keeping track of relatives and close friends of the two absconding accused in Dr. Narendra Dabholkar murder case was not the only way to track them.
“These persons have firm roots in the society,” said the bench while hearing petitions filed by the family members of the deceased. “They must be getting financial support and funding, otherwise, it would be impossible for a person to continue to hide for such a long period,” it added.
“This (murder) is not an act committed by a person or two,” said the bench, adding that, “The reports indicate that this is a completely organised set up.” Judges said the investigating agencies should try to track down the financial support and the funding in their pursuit of the two wanted accused.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. No Information Yet On Parents Of Abandoned Infant Found At Marine Drive
Thanks to non-functional CCTVs, the police haven't managed to find out who abandoned a month-old girl on the tetrapods at Marine Drive last month.
A newly-married couple in their 20s had found the girl and handed her over to the police, after nursing her for a couple of days but failing to see any improvement in her health. The couple, residents of Kalina, had also launched their own hunt for the parents with the help of neighbours by circulating the infant's picture on WhatsApp, but they had to give up the search after they started getting queries from people and other couples asking how much the baby was being sold for. The girl is currently in the care of a rescue home in Dongri.
Explaining the case, the Marine Drive police, who are looking into the matter, said Sumit and Divya Choudhary, on an evening stroll at the Marine Drive promenade on July 15, had stumbled upon the baby girl.
(Source: Mid-Day)
6. MU Results Delay: UK-Bound Students Rush For Priority Visas
Due to the continuous flipflops and delay in declaring of results by the Mumbai University, students who were supposed to join their universities in the UK this academic year, have had to apply for priority visas with the British High Commission, if they hope to reach there by the end of September, when the courses begin.
After the varsity set up a help desk for such students, many have got their mark sheets and are racing against time as they have less than a month to procure their visas.
“I got my mark sheet four days ago, but everything is unsure right now. I have to get a priority visa. I need to be in the UK between September 16 and 24 for freshers’ week,” said a harried Arpit Abani (20), Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) student, who will attend the University of Exeter for a Master’s programme in Marketing.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
7. Cops Try New Ways To Recover Rs 25-Crore E-Challans
The Mumbai Traffic Police, which have issued e-challans worth Rs 25 crore for seeking fines from traffic offenders but have not been able to recover the entire amount, is trying all tricks in the book to fill up their coffers.
Joint Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar has deployed his men at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link toll plaza to check every passing vehicle for pending e-challans with the help of the MTP mobile app and collect the unpaid fines through digital modes of payment.
The system was introduced on a pilot basis on August 16.
On the first day of the “collection drive”, Rs 11 lakh of fine was recovered, while on August 17, the amount was Rs 19 lakh. On August 18, the collection figure Rs 21lakh.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
8. Masina Ties Up With Apollo To Start New 300-Bed Hospital
Masina Hospital, one of Mumbai’s oldest charitable health institutions, has signed an agreement with the Chennai-based Apollo to set up an all new 300-bed hospital.
The new hospital, which will be cobranded Masina-Apollo, will be built on four-acre land available within the sprawling Masina campus in Byculla.
The existing hospital, which is run out of a heritage structure, once home to businessman and philanthropist David Sassoon, will stay untouched and is likely to be modernised with hefty royalties received from the new setup.
While both Masina and Apollo on Wednesday confirmed that a series of meetings have taken place between the two, they refused to divulge details.
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
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