In a startling revelation during police interrogation, Sanjay More, the accused in the Kurla bus accident, has raised serious concerns regarding the training, recruitment processes of BEST bus drivers, and passenger safety under the wet-lease contracts. According to Kurla police, More disclosed that his training took place at the Dindoshi bus depot on November 30. Following the contractor's instructions, he drove an electric bus inside the Dindoshi depot for three rounds instead of on the road. After just about 10 minutes of training, he was declared fit for driving.
More further revealed that after his training was completed, the contractor instructed him to drive a bus on the Andheri-Kurla route. Based on this statement, the police have recorded the statements of employees involved in the recruitment process. This revelation has exposed a serious lapse in the BEST administration's supervision and the contractor's negligence. However, despite these findings, no action has been taken against the contractor or the administration yet.
Senior police officers stated that they have sought the relevant documents from the contractor related to the driver recruitment process. After reviewing the terms and conditions, they will decide on the next course of action. According to the police, Sanjay More repeatedly stated during questioning that the bus suddenly lost control, and he is unaware of how the accident occurred.
Meanwhile, the Kurla police have recorded the statements of 30 passengers who were on the bus during the incident. These statements are crucial, as the driver was directly in front of them at the time of the accident. The passengers informed the police that after the first collision, the conductor rang the bell to stop the bus, but the driver ignored it.
This revelation has made things more difficult for the BEST administration. Sources claim that the Mumbai police had requested documents related to the contract between BEST and the contractor, Electra, along with other related paperwork. However, even after five days of the incident, these documents have not been provided. The delay and lack of cooperation from the BEST administration suggest that they might be attempting to withhold vital information.