Mumbai: An official of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) on Thursday deposed as a witness before a court conducting trial in the Lucky Compound building collapse case. He stated that around 20 days prior to the incident, he had found two illegally constructed buildings upon raiding the said compound.
He told the court that he had penalised the builder, Jamil Shaikh, facing trial for using an illegal electric meter for supplying electricity to these illegal buildings. The witness was examined to show that it was Shaikh who constructed these buildings.
Special public prosecutor Shishir Hire informed that Abdul Wahid Khan, the then junior engineer with MSEDCL, in his deposition before the court on March 13, 2013, said that upon raiding the ill-fated Lucky Compound along with his colleagues, he found a fully constructed building named Adarsh A whereas Adarsh B building was still under construction.
According to the witness, the raiding party found that despite one building being partially constructed, both buildings had already been occupied, and the builder was providing them electricity through an electric meter issued in the name of one Choudhari.
The witness further told the court that during the raid, the electric meter was disconnected and they imposed a fine of '1.36 lakh on the builder Jamil Shaikh. The witness also told the court that the builder paid the penalty on March 15. He also identified the documents shown to him, which proved receipt of the fine amount and bore the signature of the builder as the person who paid the fine.
According to advocate Hire, the witness was important as he was the third party showing the connection between the builder and the building that collapsed.
The witness further told the court that after the collapse of the building, he was called at the spot in April 2013, and was surprised to notice that again with the help of illegal electric meters, electricity had been restored to these buildings. Hence, he filed another complaint against the builder.
The cross-examination of the witness will continue Monday.
