Mumbai, Mar 19 (HT): The Azad Maidan police on Monday arrested Neeraj Desai, the structural auditor who had certified Himalaya Bridge near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) — which collapsed last week — as “safe for use”.

Six people were killed and 31 others injured after a slab of the arterial bridge, which connected CSMT to the other side of Dadabhai Naoroji (DN) Road, came crashing down on March 14. Pedestrians using the bridge fell 35 feet into rush-hour traffic.

On Monday, the police applied the more stringent section 304 (2) of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against Desai, 46, the structural auditor. “We have collected sufficient evidence of negligence,” said Abhishek Trimukhe, the deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1).

Desai will be produced before a local court on Tuesday.

A 2016 survey conducted by Desai’s firm, Professor DD Desai Associated Engineering Consultants and Analysts Private Limited, said Himalaya Bridge only required minor repairs.

The bridge was among 296 foot overbridges and road overbridges whose structural safety was checked by the Mumbai civic body between 2016 and 2018.

The action against the structural auditor comes just four days after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a show-cause notice to Desai’s firm and the contractor who did repair work in 2013.

A day after the collapse, BMC suspended two civic officials and said their primary investigation found the staff tasked with supervising the repairs of the bridge had failed to identify the issues that may have led to the collapse.

The Azad Maidan police said their investigation team took the statements of the 31 people injured in the incident.

“We also recorded the statement of Sanjay Darade, the chief engineer of BMC’s bridges department, to understand how work related to the safety and maintenance of the Himalaya Bridge was done,” said a senior police officer, not wishing to be named. “We wanted to know what the BMC’s responsibilities are after the audit report was submitted, and about the junior and senior engineers entrusted to undertake maintenance work,” the officer said.

The police took Darade’s statement on Sunday, and visited Desai’s Vile Parle office on Monday. Desai was not at the office. He was later found at an office in Saki Naka from where he was arrested, said Azad Maidan police officials. The police said more arrests were expected soon.

The BMC has now ordered a re-audit of all 296 FOBs and road over bridges (ROBs).