3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Apr 13, 2026 08:16 PM ISTA BEST bus was seen mounted on a divider near the Kamala Mills area in Worli. (Source: Express Archives)Noting that the BEST accident in Bhandup in December 2025 could have been avoided had the driver Santosh Sawant refused to operate the electric bus citing lack of proper training, the sessions court rejected his bail application.The court also said that it was the “lethargy of the employee in protesting against the employer” for not imparting training.“…it was not a casual accident. It could have been avoided by the accused by plainly refusing to drive the bus of which he was barely having knowledge how to drive. He knew that he had not been given training by the department. He knew that he was unaware about the ABC of the driving technique of the bus. He casually seated on driver seat, allowed the bus to become uncontroll and let the consequences happened i.e. running over the bus upon hundreds of people. Such lethargy of the employee in protesting against the employer for nonimparting training needs to be viewed with proper sensitivity,” additional sessions judge Y P Manathkar said in the order passed on April 10.Sawant was arrested has been behind bars since over three months, after a bus he was driving ran down four passengers and injured 12 others on December 29, 2025, outside Bhandup railway station.His lawyer Devendra Patil told court that the chargesheet filed against Sawant shows that his name is not included in the list of drivers who completed training to operate electric buses.Additional public prosecutor Iqbal Solkar said that four people had lost their lives and it was a serious incident.The court said that Sawant’s lawyer has cited a document to admit that his name is not included in the list of drivers who underwent training. It said that a bus has 55 passengers and the accused driver had opted to drive such a large vehicle on a public road without training.Story continues below this ad“The part of training to drive the EV bus came to be skipped, either because of fault on the part of the applicant or the fault on the part of BEST administration. The implications of this were horrible. It is always found that whenever such tragedy is happened, all the concerned persons/entity pass the blame to one another, to save his own skin,” the court said.This is the second incident in which courts have commented on the prima facie lack of training to BEST drivers.On March 30, while granting bail to Sanjay More, who was arrested in December 2024, in a similar accident in Kurla, where nine persons lost their lives, the Bombay High Court had said that the BEST authorities were required to impart training for at least seven days to the drivers operating EV buses.Sadaf Modak is a distinguished Legal Correspondent based in Mumbai whose work demonstrates exceptional Expertise and Authority in covering the intricacies of the judicial and correctional systems. Reporting for The Indian Express, she is a highly Trustworthy source for in-depth coverage of courtroom proceedings and human rights issues. Expertise Specialized Role: As a dedicated Legal Correspondent, Sadaf Modak possesses deep, specialized knowledge of legal procedures, statutes, and judicial operations, lending immense Authority to her reports. Core Authority & Focus: Her work primarily centers on: Trial Court Proceedings: She mainly covers the trial courts of Mumbai, providing crucial, on-the-ground reporting on the day-to-day legal processes that affect citizens. She maintains a keen eye on both major criminal cases and the "ordinary and not so ordinary events" that reveal the human element within the justice system. Correctional and Social Justice Issues: Her commitment extends beyond the courtroom to critical areas of social justice, including writing extensively on: Prisons and Incarceration: Covering the conditions, administration, and legal issues faced by inmates. Juvenile Justice: Reporting on the complexities of the juvenile justice system and the legal rights of children. Human Rights: Focusing on fundamental human rights within the context of law enforcement and state institutions. Experience Institutional Affiliation: Reporting for The Indian Express—a leading national newspaper—ensures her coverage is subject to high editorial standards of accuracy, impartiality, and legal rigor. Impactful Detail: Her focus on trial courts provides readers with direct, detailed insights into the workings of the justice system, making complex legal narratives accessible and establishing her as a reliable and trusted chronicler of the legal landscape. Sadaf Modak's blend of judicial focus and commitment to human rights issues establishes her as a vital and authoritative voice in Indian legal journalism. She tweets @sadafmodak ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Bhandup