Mira Road Crane Collapse: Deceased Victim's Father Moves Bombay HC, Seeks Builder JP Infra Named In FIR

Mumbai: The father of the 21-year-old man who was killed in the Mira Road crane collapse earlier this month has moved the Bombay High Court, seeking directions to include real estate developer JP Infra as an accused in the FIR registered in connection with the incident.

According to reports, Aziz Khokar, father of deceased Muzammil Khokar, approached the High Court on Monday after alleging that repeated requests to the police to name the builder in the case had gone unanswered. The petition is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 3, reported Hindustan Times.

Aziz Khokar is currently undergoing treatment at Cordis Criticare Hospital after observing a five-day hunger strike outside Kashigaon Police Station, demanding that the builder be named in the case.

Details On Tragic Incident

The tragic incident occurred on July 16, when a nearly 100-foot crane collapsed at an under-construction building inside the JP North Complex in Mira Road. Muzammil Khokar, a resident of JK Iris Housing Society, was sitting on a bench within the residential complex when the crane came crashing down on him, killing him on the spot.

Two other people, including a woman and the crane operator, were injured in the accident. The collapse also damaged 12 two-wheelers and four four-wheelers parked nearby.

Following the incident, the Kashigaon Police registered an FIR against the contractor, subcontractor, safety engineer and several others associated with the project. However, the complaint did not name JP Infra, prompting the victim's family to seek legal intervention.

Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Aziz Khokar alleged that the police had deliberately excluded the builder from the FIR. "My child was sitting on a bench in our society when the crane fell on him. I waited at the police station for seven to eight hours. The police said they would book the contractor. Why only the contractor? JP Infra is the main culprit. They are all protecting them," he alleged.

He further claimed that political pressure was influencing the investigation and preventing the police from naming the builder as an accused. The petition before the Bombay High Court seeks judicial intervention to ensure that the builder is also investigated for its alleged role in the fatal accident.

The crane collapse had triggered widespread concerns over construction safety norms in Mumbai's rapidly developing suburbs. The matter is now expected to come under judicial scrutiny when the High Court hears the petition next week.