Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 7: A sessions court has discharged two senior executives of private transport companies in connection with the tragic Kurla BEST electric bus accident that claimed nine lives and injured 42, citing lack of material to prove their direct involvement or criminal intent.
The detailed order, made available Monday, pertains to Ram Suryavanshi (34), CEO of Mourya Trans India Pvt Ltd, and Ramesh Katigandla (35), director of Evey Trans Pvt Ltd, who were chargesheeted along with the bus driver Sanjay More following the incident on December 9, 2024.
Judge Avinash P Kulkarni noted, “By going through the record, there is no indication of any intention on the part of accused numbers 2 and 3 to attract vicarious liability in the criminal case.” The court held there was “not sufficient ground” to proceed against them.
The prosecution had argued that the executives were directly responsible for the appointment and deployment of the driver and alleged that they violated “critical requirements” by failing to ensure proper medical checks and training. They also claimed the misuse of “dummy check numbers” contributed to the accident.
However, the defence submitted that Suryavanshi and Katigandla were involved only in strategic and policy-making roles, with day-to-day operations handled by designated operational staff. It was also noted that driver More had prior experience as a BEST bus driver, had completed 72 hours of electric bus training, and had undergone medical checks by BEST and during his licence renewal.
The court further clarified that the “check number” in the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) is meant for route tracking and payments, not driver identification. The dummy check number in question was uploaded by a depot manager and a company representative, who are prosecution witnesses—not the discharged executives.
Sanjay More remains the prime accused in the case, booked under culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while the two executives are no longer facing criminal proceedings.
The court’s decision brings relief to the two senior officials, highlighting the distinction between strategic responsibilities and operational oversight in corporate roles.