Bombay HC reduces relief period for Mahim collapse accused

The Bombay high court on Monday reduced the interim relief period granted by a sessions court to three sons of former owner of Aftab Mansion, which collapsed on June 10, killing 10 residents, to July 1 from July 17.

The Bombay high court on Monday reduced the interim relief period granted by a sessions court to three sons of former owner of Aftab Mansion, which collapsed on June 10, killing 10 residents, to July 1 from July 17.

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The April 4 building collapse killed 74 people.

Following an application filed by advocate Rizwan Merchant, who lived in the building and lost his wife, son and mother in the mishap, challenging the interim relief, justice KU Chandiwal directed the sessions court to hear the trio’s anticipatory bail applications on July 1.

Sharif Furniturewala and his brothers Irfan and Mohammed had approached the sessions court last week seeking bail after a case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder was registered against them following the building collapse.

The court had posted their bail hearing for July 17 and given them protection from arrest until then.

Merchant argued in high court that interim relief of four weeks at this initial stage of investigations was not proper and also that the trio may abscond during this period.

On June 10, a portion of the five-storey Aftab Mansion collapsed, allegedly because of illegal structural alterations made in the ground floor, which weakened its foundation.

Apart fromthe Furniturewalas, the FIR registered on June 15 also names Iqbal Ibrahim, the owner of a shop on the ground floor and civic officials.

The police have charged the accused for negligent conduct with respect to repairs, culpable homicide, causing grievous hurt and criminal conspiracy, among others.