MP bus tragedy that killed over 60: Rewa court acquits all three accused 19 years later
Rewa, Jun 1 (PTI): A court in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh gave "benefit of doubt" and acquitted three persons in connection with the 2006 Govindgarh bus tragedy in which more than 60 occupants of the vehicle were killed.
On October 19, 2006, the bus with registration number MKA 3163 plunged into Govindgarh pond when it was on its way to Rewa from Jigna. Among those killed was the driver.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Panna Nagesh on Friday acquitted Ajay Pratap Singh (52), Ramesh Tiwari (42) and Shriniwas Tiwari (60), the owner and conductors of the bus, due to lack of evidence.
The court observed that it could not be proved with the prosecution's evidence that the bus was being driven rashly and recklessly at the time of the incident.
Furthermore, the driver of the bus too had died in the accident, the court pointed out.
"Under these circumstances, it could not be found that the accused had any role in running the bus without registration on the day of the accident," the court said while acquitting the trio under Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act.
Their lawyer Rajiv Singh Shera said the prosecution failed to prove whether the bus had valid fitness and permit documents.
"As a result, the court acquitted the owner and conductors," he said.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
