Mumbai: A sessions court on Thursday granted bail to Ramashish Yadav, a welder accused in the fatal Metro Line 4 parapet collapse in Mulund, invoking the principle of parity and noting that custodial interrogation was no longer required. Yadav is the last accused to receive bail in the case.
Court Observations
Additional Sessions Judge M B Oza remarked that "the accident has occurred suddenly" and that "custodial interrogation is already over and nothing more is to be recovered from him." The judge further stated: "The accused is a poor labourer and his family depends on him. It will take time for filing of chargesheet, beginning of trial, and conclusion. No purpose will be served by keeping him behind bars for a long period. The trial will take a long time. The investigation of the investigating officer will not be affected if this accused is released on bail."
Incident Details
The incident occurred on February 14, when a concrete precast parapet of the elevated Metro Line 4 structure fell onto an autorickshaw and a car on LBS Marg, resulting in the death of one man and serious injuries to three others. The prosecution alleged that Yadav, an employee of Milan Road Buildtech LLP, failed to effectively concretise the structure after installation and neglected to inform authorities about the potential hazard. It was argued that Yadav and other supervisors acted with knowledge that the structure was prone to collapse and failed to take basic safety precautions.
Defence Arguments
The defence contended that Yadav was a mere daily wage labourer acting under the direct instructions of site managers and engineers, several of whom had already been granted bail. While the investigating officer opposed the bail plea on grounds that Yadav had initially absconded to Uttar Pradesh and that the offence was serious, the court noted that Yadav had already spent over two months in jail.
Parity Principle Applied
The order also noted that since the project managers and engineers, who held higher degrees of responsibility, were already out on bail, the welder was entitled to similar relief.
