Sea Link crash accused in bail plea: Lack of SOP by MSRDC sole cause of mishap
In his bail plea, the South Mumbai-based builder said he was driving within the permissible speed limit and he was not fined for over-speeding. He also claimed that he was taken to a private hospital by the police on the day of the accident as he had sustained serious injuries.
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Bilakhya's plea also states that there are no circumstances in which he had committed the act with the intention of causing the death of any person. (File photo)Irfan Bilakhya, the man booked for allegedly crashing his car on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and killing five persons, approached the sessions court on Thursday, stating that it was a simple case of human error and cannot be termed as culpable homicide. Bilakhya was arrested last week and is currently in judicial custody.
In his bail plea, the South Mumbai-based builder said he was driving within the permissible speed limit and he was not fined for over-speeding. He also claimed that he was taken to a private hospital by the police on the day of the accident as he had sustained serious injuries.
“It is pertinent to note that the lack of Standard Operating Procedures followed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation is the sole cause of the accident. The failure and neglect of the toll authorities and the management of the Bandra Worli Sea Link has resulted in the unfortunate accident, which could have been avoided/prevented,” states the bail plea, filed through lawyer Vikram Chavan, adding that Bilakhya was a victim of system failure. It adds that on October 5, authorities should have stopped the traffic at the toll and barricaded the site where the first accident took place, when a Swift car’s tyre burst.
“… Despite the occurrence of the first accident, authorities failed to warn the vehicles which crossed the toll and approached the Sea Link. The accused had stopped his car at the toll, paid the toll and approached the Sea Link… during that time if the authorities would have warned and/or communicated and/or held the traffic at the toll itself, the entire unfortunate accident could have been avoided,” the bail plea stated.
It claimed that authorities have amended the SOPs after the incident. The plea also stated that an accident took place three days after the one on October 5, after which the Sea Link was closed for traffic till the clearing of the site.
Bilakhya’s plea also states that there are no circumstances in which he had committed the act with the intention of causing the death of any person.
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