Bombay High Court Grants Bail in Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue Collapse Case

The Bombay High Court granted bail to consultant Chetan Patil, arrested in connection with the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in August. The court found no evidence implicating Patil, as he was not the statue's structural designer. Another accused, Jaydeep Apte, awaits a bail hearing.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday granted bail to consultant Chetan Patil, who was arrested following the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at Rajkot fort in Malvan in August.

The 35-foot statue, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just nine months ago, collapsed unexpectedly in Sindhudurg district on August 26. Patil, apprehended on August 30 from Kolhapur, became involved after being wrongly accused.

Justice A S Kilor of the single bench clarified that Patil, who merely submitted a structural stability report for the pedestal, should not be implicated as the statue's structural designer. The pedestal remained intact post-collapse. Meanwhile, Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor and contractor, faces charges of negligence and awaits a bail hearing on November 25.

(With inputs from agencies.)