‘Corporators didn’t abet Parmar suicide’

Counsel for the municipal corporators facing arrest for allegedly driving builder Suraj Parmar to commit suicide, on Thursday argued before the court that the applicants did not abet Mr Parmar’s suicide but were only discharging their duties as public servants.

Senior counsel Shirish Gupte, on behalf of one of the applicants, said that his clients were public servants and it was their duty to point out illegal constructions in their area to the standing committee, which is why they brought this to the notice of the committee. Mr Gupte also claimed that the gap between the last standing committee meeting and Mr Parmar’s death was seven months and so, it could not be said that the latter committed suicide because of these municipal corporators.

Mr Gupte also said that the police is supposed to go by documents as they are and not interpret them. Mr Gupte argued that the police got the suicide note in which the names of the applicants had been scored out and yet, sent it to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and were now interpreting it by applying their mind that the applicants could be responsible for Mr Parmar’s death.

Mr Gupte claimed that the matter had been brought to the notice of the standing committee much before, but hearing on this was adjourned a few times and the matter was finally heard a few months later. He said that it was not as if these four applicants had passed the resolution and issued stop work notice but it was the decision of the standing committee. The lawyer also said that the applicants had complained about illegal construction carried out by another builder, raised the issue of death of a child by medical negligence, and also the issue of a dance bar, so they were doing their duty and were not after Mr Parmar to get monetary benefit from him.

Justice A.S. Gadkari will continue hearing arguments on anticipatory bail applications of Sudhakar Chavan (Independent), Vikrant Chavan (Congress), Hanumant Jagdale and Najeeb Mulla (NCP) on Friday as well. These municipal corporators have approached the high court, seeking pre-arrest bail.