Overview
- Additional Sessions Judge GT Pawar heard arguments on the engineers’ pre-arrest bail plea and reserved the order for Wednesday.
- The case stems from the June 9 incident near Mumbra where two passing trains on a sharp curve preceded a fall that killed five passengers and injured others.
- The GRP registered an FIR on November 1 against Assistant Divisional Engineer Vishal Dolas and Senior Section Engineer Samar Yadav under Section 25 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
- In court, the GRP cited 1,486 deaths and 266 injuries historically at the same spot, alleging washed-away ballast, unrepaired track gaps, overspeeding at 75 kmph on a 50 kmph curve, and injuries consistent with trains brushing close.
- The defence argues overcrowding caused the tragedy, citing an NHRC/DRM finding, and disputes the VJTI report as lacking field context, while the GRP and Central Railway remain at odds over access to that report with investigators saying it will be shared with the chargesheet.