Santosh Mane, the Maharashtra state transport driver who went on a rampage mowing down eight persons and injuring 27 others in Pune, was on Thursday remanded in police custody till February 3 by a local court with lawyers refusing to appear for him.
There was no sign of remorse on 30-year-old Mane, who was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate V B Borha, has been charged under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 381 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code in addition to offences related to damage to public property.
The district government pleader Ujwala Pawar, who sought 14 days police remand of Mane, submitted to court that the accused had committed a heinous crime and it was necessary to investigate matters related to his behaviour in the state transport department prior to the criminal act.
She said police would also require time to gather necessary forensic evidence in the case.
Magistrate Borha, however, remanded the accused, who stood with a blank expression on his face, in police custody till February 3.
No advocate appeared on behalf of Mane in response to an appeal issued by the Pune Bar Association.
After hijacking an empty bus, Mane went berserk on the crowded streets of Pune yesterday morning, ploughing into vehicles and people coming in the way, leaving behind a trail of blood, death and mangled cars, auto and two-wheelers. He was finally nabbed by a youth with the help of others.
Mane, attached to the Swargate depot of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, was arrested after an hour-long chase near Neelayam theatre in the city.
His family said he was mentally disturbed and that could be the reason behind the mayhem.
