Sena worker Shitap sent to police custody till August 2

Shiv Sena worker Sunil Shitap, arrested for his alleged criminal culpability in collapse of a four-story building in suburban Ghatkopar that left 17 people dead, was remanded to police custody today till August 2.
A Mumbai magisterial court remanded the Shiv Sena worker to the custody of police for eight days on their plea that they needed to question him on his criminal role in the case besides ascertaining the roles of others, including those of contractors and the architect in the collapse of the building.
The police told the court that they will also arrest the contractors and the architect, involved in the renovation work of the building leading to its collapse.

The police also said Shitap used to constantly threaten the residents who would speak against the renovation.
The prosecution said Shitap very well knew the renovation of the ground floor of the building would result in weakening of the structure, yet he continued to do it.
Shitap's lawyer Sharif Sheikh, however, denied that his client carried out any structural change, arguing that the building itself was very old due to which it collapsed.
The Siddhi-Sai Cooperative society building had collapsed yesterday as the pillars of the building were suspected to have weakened due to the renovation work of a nursing home on the ground floor owned by Shitap.

Shitap has been booked for allegedly committing offences of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, acts endangering life or personal safety of others and causing grievous hurt to others, respectively under sections 304 (II), 336 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code.