Auditor Who Reviewed Mumbai Foot Overbridge Detained

A structural auditor was arrested Monday in connection with the last week''s foot overbridge collapse that left six people dead, police said.

The accused, Neeraj Kumar Desai's firm DD Desai's Associated Engineering Consultant and Analysts Private Ltd, had reportedly carried out the structural audit of the bridge and declared it safe for use despite some corrosion in the structure, they said.

"We detained Desai Sunday after ascertaining negligence on his part and arrested him," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Abhishek Trimukhe told reporters.

He said police have recorded statements of 31 people, including the injured, eyewitnesses, and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, including Sanjay Darade, Chief Engineer, Bridge department.

The bridge, which linked the area near the BMC building with the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station in south Mumbai, collapsed Thursday evening, killing six people and injuring 31 others.

The bridge was also called as the ''Kasab bridge'', as one of the 26/11 terrorists, Ajmal Kasab, had used it for crossing.

"During our investigation it has been found that the concerned structural auditor was aware about the condition of the foot overbridge, but he neglected the fact," the DCP said.

Police initially booked officials of the Mumbai civic body, which were responsible for its maintenance, and the Central Railway (CR) under section 304-A (Causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code, but rescinded the move later.

That section was removed and section 304-part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC was imposed against Desai, police said.