Bldg architect, local scribe held, taking number of arrests to 11

The Thane police on Monday arrested two more persons —architect of the building Farook Abdul Latif Chapra, 59, and a local scribe, Rafiq Daud Kamdar, 44, in connection with the Mumbra building collapse, reports Pratik Salunke.

The Thane police on Monday arrested two more persons —architect of the building Farook Abdul Latif Chapra, 59, and a local scribe, Rafiq Daud Kamdar, 44, in connection with the Mumbra building collapse.

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“Farook is not qualified to construct such a building, but made the plan of the structure. Kamdar acted as a mediator between the arrested civic officials and the builders of the seven-storey building,” said a senior police officer from Thane police who is privy to the investigations. “Kamdar ran a local newspaper, Aapka Buland Ujala. Investigations revealed that he had clicked photographs of the illegal buildings and had then taken money from builders,” he said.

The Thane police have dispatched teams to nab the associates of the two builders, Abdul Siddique and Jamil Shaikh. “We are looking out for seven more associates of the two builders who had stakes in the building,” said a senior police officer from Thane police.

Sources stated that a few more names from civic administration might crop up in further investigation. Jameel, one of the builders arrested in the case, told the police that of the 74 dead, 22 were his close relatives.

The police are also gathering information on the land deal of Lucky Compound where the illegal building was constructed. “We are seeking details from the concerned authorities,” said the officer.

Earlier, the police had arrested nine persons in the Mumbra building collapse case, which includes two builders, a deputy municipal commissioner, assistant municipal commissioner, a corporator, a senior clerk, a police constable, a building material supplier and an estate agent.