Probe to now focus on human error, compliance with SOPs
The BEST bus involved in the accident. FILE PIC/PTI
In a new development, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has found no technical fault in the BEST electric bus involved in the fatal Bhandup mishap, officials said, dealing a major blow to the driver’s claim that a mechanical failure caused the accident.
According to the RTO’s examination report, the vehicle was found to be mechanically sound, with no issues detected in the braking system, handbrake, accelerator, or transmission. “The vehicle was absolutely perfect and no technical error was found during the inspection,” said Deputy Regional Transport Officer Pallavi Kothawade.
The development comes amid the ongoing police probe into the accident that killed four pedestrians near Bhandup railway station on December 29. The arrested driver, Santosh Ramesh Sawant, 52, had earlier claimed that the bus moved unexpectedly due to a faulty handbrake. The police had questioned the claim, noting that the bus was an automatic-transmission electric vehicle that can move only when the accelerator is pressed.
Sawant is currently in judicial custody.
Police said the RTO findings strengthen the case that driver input played a role in the mishap. “With no mechanical defect found, the investigation will now focus on human error and compliance with standard operating procedures,” a senior officer said.
Sawant has consistently denied negligence, blaming the condition of the vehicle handed over to him. Police have already questioned the previous driver as part of the probe. “The previous driver’s statement has been recorded and will be used in the charge sheet,” confirmed Balasaheb Pawar, senior police inspector, Bhandup police station.
Expert Speak
Vishhal Saxxenaa, Supreme Court advocate
‘The plea of not guilty is a fundamental stage in a criminal trial, signifying that the accused disputes the charges and requires the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, the court relies on legally admissible evidence to establish guilt. It is well settled that convictions are founded on the totality of evidence, duly corroborated, and not merely on the statements or conduct of the accused. Each piece of evidence must be examined in conjunction with the surrounding facts and circumstances. In the present case as well, the court will analyse the entire body of evidence and attendant circumstances in their totality before arriving at any conclusion’
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