Mumbai sea link accident: SUV driver remanded in 14-day judicial custody

A court here on Friday remanded in 14-day judicial custody the driver of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) that rammed into multiple vehicles at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, killing five persons.

The SUV driver, Irfan Abdul Rahim Bilakiya, was arrested from his residence in Mohammed Ali Road area in south Mumbai on Wednesday, hours after the accident, and was produced in court after his one-day police custody ended.

While the police sought further custody claiming the probe was still one, the accused's advocates Vikram Chavan and Chandni Bhatt from C K Legal opposed it saying Bilakiya himself was a victim of the accident.

Claiming he was not given treatment, the advocates also said it was contributed negligence as the authorities could have barricaded the sea link if there was an accident and prevented a further mishap.

Bilakiya was helping people there and didn't flee from the accident spot, the advocates told court.

After hearing both sides, Bilakiya, who is into the construction business, was remanded in 14-day judicial custody.

The 40-year-old man is charged under Indian Penal Code sections 304A (death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), among other offences.

Bilakiya had allegedly rammed his SUV into three stationary cars and an ambulance on the iconic bridge at around 3 am on Wednesday. Five people were killed and eight others injured in the accident.

Worli police is probing the accident.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)