Builder arrested in five-storey building collapse case in Maharashtra's Raigad

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Police on Thursday (September 3, 2020) arrested a builder day after a five-story building collapsed in the Raigad district killing over a dozen people on August 24. The man arrested by the police has been identified as Farooq Qazi. He is a builder by profession.

Farooq had submitted a petition for interim bail in a local sessions court in connection with the case. Today, when he deposed before the sessions court, the court handed him over to the police for questioning.

The Raigad police are likely to seek his custody from the court during a hearing in the case on Saturday, sources said.

The Maharashtra Police had earlier arrested a man in connection with the building collapse case.

The police had arrested RCC roof consultant Bahubali Dhamane in the building from the Navi Mumbai area. He was later sent to police custody for five days. The police had registered a case against five people in this case.

The FIR was filed under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 304-A (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life) and 34 (acts by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The building was constructed around 5-6 years ago and there were around 40 flats in the building. At least 16 people had died in the tragic incident.