Court says iron was used, not stainless steel in Shivaji statue that collapsed; denies bail to structural consultant

The statue was inaugurated connected December 4, 2023 by the seashore astatine Rajkot fort successful Malvan. It collapsed connected August 26, aft which Patil and sculptor of the statue Jaydeep Apte were arrested.

Patil had submitted that helium works arsenic an adjunct prof and has thing to bash with the offence. It was submitted to the tribunal that astatine the petition of a friend, helium had lone fixed a stableness study connected WhatsApp, which was lone for the level oregon the pedestal of the statue and not the statue itself.

Adding that determination was thing to amusement that helium had been assigned immoderate enactment oregon been paid for the erection of the statue, Patil said, determination was thing to amusement that the pedestal was built of debased prime oregon its plan was defective.

Opposing his bail, constabulary claimed that the operation was debased quality, starring to the illness of the statue. It was further claimed that the accused ignored the information that the statue would beryllium prone to rust fixed its proximity to the sea. It was besides claimed that the pedestal was the basal of the statue and the incidental took spot owed to rust forming connected the iron. Police besides said that the probe is inactive ongoing.

The tribunal said that the contention of the accused that helium was not appointed arsenic a structural advisor was not acceptable astatine this stage. “…there was nary crushed for the applicant to hole the said report, erstwhile it is his basal that, helium was astatine nary constituent of clip legally appointed by the co-accused (Apte). No structural advisor would hole specified study without being engaged by the contractor,” the tribunal said. The tribunal besides considered that the probe was successful progress.

Apte’s bail plea is besides pending earlier the court.