Park Xpress builders absconding, four others in police custody
Pune : A day after nine workers were killed when a slab collapsed during illegal construction of 13th floor at Park Xpress luxurious housing project in Baner, Pune city police are yet to arrest the builders. Meanwhile four others have been arrested by Chatushrungi police station.
Police have registered FIR against the owners of Park Xpress joint venture, namely Arvind Jain and Shravan Agarwal of Shriniwas Developers and Pride Purple Properties, Kailas Wani of Samarth Group, Sham Shende of Abhinav Group, Mahendra Kamat and Bhavin Shaha from Mrigank Construction Pvt Ltd’s, Park Xpress joint venture’s project in-charge Dnyaneshwar Chavan and Santosh Sopan Chavan, architect Pardeep Kosumbkar, structural designer Hansal Parikh and Associates and project in-charge Shrikant Kisan Pawar.
They have been charged for offences under sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act of endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act of endangering life or personal safety of others), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Ownership of Flat Act and Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act.
On Friday night, the police had arrested Bhavin Shaha, Santosh Chavan, Shrikant Pawar and Dnyaneshwar Chavan and had formed various team to nab the other accused. The four arrested accused were produced in Shivajinagar court on Saturday afternoon and remanded in police custody till August 1.
Senior police inspector Dayanand Dhome, in-charge of Chatushrungi police station, who is investigating the case, submitted that the accused are involved in a ‘social crime’ and builders are on the run.
Defence lawyers Sudhir Shah and Nandu Phadke submitted that police do not have ‘strong reasons’ to demand custody of arrested persons.
After hearing both the sides, Judicial Magistrate First Class SK Chaudhari sent the arrested accused to three-day police custody.
