The District Sessions Judge-II here, K. Paramaraj, on Thursday dismissed the bail applications of six persons, including the managing director of a real estate company, > arrested in connection with the building collapse at Moulivakkam near Chennai on June 28.
The Mangadu police had arrested the Managing Director, Prime Srishti Housing Private Limited, M. Manoharan, 59, of Madurai; his son, M. Muthukamakshi, 27; Director, PSHP Limited, M. Balagurusamy, 53, of Madurai; and engineers, R. Duraisingam, 22, of Thiruthuraipoondi, S. Sankararamakrishnan, 24, of Madurai and K. Karthi, 25, of Madurai.
Moving the bail applications, advocates R. Vijayakumar and Abudukumar said the building, struck by lightning, collapsed on June 28 when rain lashed Moulivakkam and surrounding areas.
Read: > Chennai building collapse: Under the crushing weight
Expressing grief at the loss of lives, the advocates pointed out that no businessman or company would promote a residential project of this scale in such a manner that it would be reduced to rubble, spoiling their goodwill and reputation.
While one section of the government machinery asserts that there was no mistake or bungling in the clearance of proposals or applications and other procedures, the police booked the accused under Section 304 (part II) without any inquiry. Their prime motive might be to prevent the accused from getting bail, they added.
Countering the argument, Public Prosecutor K. Sampath and counsel for those who have booked/purchased flats at the PSHP’s ‘Trust Heights,’ P.R. Balasubramanian said the poor quality of construction materials and deviation from the approved plan resulted in the disaster, claiming the lives of at least 61 construction workers.
Read: > Chennai building collapse toll goes up further
Further, granting bail to the accused, particularly the Managing Director, would hamper the investigation since he was such an influential person that he was able to avail himself of loan from a nationalised bank for this project after acquiring the land through auction conducted by the same bank.
Further, the accused also arranged for ‘completion certificates’ for some of his customers so that they could get the entire housing loan credited to their loan account much before they could take possession of the flats.
