Mumbai building collapse: Nursing Home owner Sena leader booked for culpable homicide

Mumbai (Maharashtra),[India] July 25 (ANI): Shiv Sena leader Sunil Shitap, who was earlier being held responsible for Ghatkopar building collapse, has now been booked for culpable homicide. Jt CP Law and Order Deven Bharti has confirmed with ANI that Shitap has been detained by the Mumbai Police and is being questioned. "Prima facie, it is revealed that the accused was carrying out illegal renovation in the building. At this juncture, it will not be appropriate to give other details as investigation is underway and available information needs verification," he said. The residents of the four-storey building that collapsed earlier today in Mumbai's Ghatkopar had alleged that the mishap took place because of the renovation work being carried out at the first floor. The renovation work was undertaken on ground floor nursing home reportedly owned by the Shiv Sena leader. "There was a renovation work being carried out in the building. There was a nursing home, named Sitap Nursing Home, at the ground floor of the building which is owned by a man Sunil Shitap, who is a local Shiv Sena leader . A meeting of residents was also called last night opposing this renovation work," said a resident. "We will investigate the matter and take action against the culprits," BMC Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar had said. Congress leader Praveen Chheda, the ex MLA from this constituency, had said that the onus of compensating for the mishap lies on Shitap. Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police have confirmed that 19 people have been extracted till now. The police said that until seven in the evening, nineteen people were extracted, out of which nine have been declared dead. Out of the nine dead, seven are women and two are children, one female and one male. (ANI)