Mumbai: The sessions court has refused to grant bail to Abhimanyu Bhoan, former CEO of scam-riddled New India Co-operative Bank, observing that huge amounts of funds to the tune of Rs122 crore were siphoned systematically and nothing could be seized and recovered till date.

Bhoan was arrested by the Mumbai police in the last week of February for his role in the bank’s collapse. While seeking bail, Bhoan pleaded that he was falsely implicated in the case, merely based on the statement of co-accused (general manager) Hitesh Mehta. The sessions judge, RK Deshpande, noted, “As per the prosecution, two of the nine co-accused are absconding till date.

In such a scenario, if the applicant is released on bail… the possibility of tampering with the investigation and threatening the witnesses (who prima facie appear to be related with the bank) cannot be ruled out.” The court noted that Bhoan, at the time the alleged fraud surfaced, was working as the CEO of the bank’s Prabhadevi branch, and the prime accused Hitesh Mehta was working under his supervision. “Prima facie, as the bank’s CEO, he (Bhoan) handled each and every cash transaction and was well aware about the cash in hand in the bank,” the court further noted.

Referring to Bhoan’s brain mapping reports, the court said it is revealed that he received funds to the tune of Rs1 crore from Mehta. The court further said, “From the contents of the chargesheet, prima facie it’s a systematic, well planned conspiracy played by the applicant along with other co-accused in order to grab Rs122 crore, which is totally public money…” The court said that such types of acts are not expected from a bank official in a responsible position.

The court said that “an economic offence was committed with cool calculation and deliberate design, and an eye on personal profit regardless of its impact on the community”. It said, “A disregard for the interest of the community can be manifested only at the cost of forfeiting its trust and faith… (we need) to administer justice in an even handed manner, without fear of criticism from quarters that view white collar crimes with a permissive eye, unmindful of the damage done to the national economy and national interest.”

Navi Mumbai: A woman and her 17-year-old daughter were charred to death after a major fire broke out early Tuesday morning at Ambe Shraddha residential building in Sector 36, Kamothe. The fire, suspected to have started from a short circuit, was followed by a cylinder blast that intensified the blaze.

According to officials, the Panvel Municipal Corporation fire brigade received a call about the incident at 6.02 a.m., shortly after residents reported hearing a loud explosion. By the time fire engines reached the spot, flames had engulfed the third-floor apartment where the victims — identified as Rekha Shisodia and her 17-year-old daughter Payal Shisodia — lived.

“Based on the condition of the site, it appears the fire had started at least 45 minutes before the cylinder blast,” said Praveen Bodake, CIDCO Chief Fire Officer. “Cylinders usually explode only after being exposed to heat for a prolonged period. Both mother and daughter were found dead on their bed, possibly having inhaled smoke and fallen unconscious before getting burnt.”

Officials said two other members of the Shisodia family survived as they were away for work when the incident occurred. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire originated from an electrical short circuit, which later triggered the cylinder explosion.

Fire tenders brought the blaze under control after an intense operation, and the bodies were sent for post-mortem. A joint investigation by the fire brigade and Kamothe police is underway to confirm the exact cause of the fire.

“It was a 12 storeyed building in which most of the flats are duplex. The building did not follow fire norms not did they have proper ventilation,” Bodake said.

Navi Mumbai: Four persons, including a six-year-old girl, died and around 10 others were injured after a major fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday at Raheja Residency, Plot Nos. 48/24, 25, 26, Sector 14, Vashi. The blaze, which started around 12.40 a.m. on the 10th floor, quickly spread to the 11th and 12th floors before being brought under control by fire officials.

According to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) Fire Department, several fire engines from Vashi, Nerul, Airoli, and Koparkhairane stations were rushed to the spot. Firefighters laid hose lines and began dousing the flames immediately.

“Four persons were found dead during the rescue operation, while around 10 to 15 others were safely evacuated,” said Purushottam Jadhav, Chief Fire Officer, NMMC. “The fire originated from a flat on the 10th floor, though the exact cause is not known,” he added.

The deceased were identified as Vedika Sundar Balakrishnan (6), Kamla Hiralal Jain (84), Sundar Balakrishnan (44), and Pooja Rajan (39) — all residents of Raheja Residency.

Among the injured are members of the Ghosh, Jain, and Agrawal families, who have been admitted to Fortis Hiranandani and MGM Hospitals. They include Manabendra (69), Malika (58), and Ritika Ghosh (39) from Room 1106; Bhavna (49), Mahavir (51), and Krish Jain (21) from Room 1005; Nirmal (53) and Mehul Jain (32) from Govind Complex; and Damayanti Agrawal (80) and Sumanti John Topno (18) from Room 1105.

The fire brigade official said the situation was brought under control after several hours of firefighting, followed by extensive cooling operations. “Our teams ensured that no one was trapped inside, and all hotspots were completely doused,” Jadhav said.

Officials from the Vashi Fire Station and NMMC are conducting a detailed investigation into the incident.