Bhiwandi: One person has been arrested in connection with the Kohinoor Apartment collapse in Bhiwandi, while the alleged builder and his associate remain absconding.
Police arrested Amritlal Nishad, 49, a resident of the building, for allegedly collecting money from residents for repairs and awarding the contract to Ashok Paswan, who died in the collapse. Police said the repair work was carried out at Nishad's instance.
Officials said Nishad also functioned as caretaker for the alleged builder, handling responsibilities including renting out flats, collecting rent and supervising the property's day-to-day affairs.
Nishad was produced before a Bhiwandi court on Saturday, which remanded him to police custody until August 5. Investigators are questioning him to establish who authorised the repairs, whether a structural assessment was conducted before work began and why safety protocols were allegedly ignored.
Meanwhile, police are searching for alleged prime accused builder Bilal Abu Bakar Khan and his associate Danish Ejaz Ahmed Shaikh. Multiple teams have been formed and raids are being conducted at suspected locations.
According to police sources, Shaikh is believed to be a cousin of a senior political leader in Mumbai.
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