Bombay High Court Grants Bail to BEST Bus Driver in Fatal Bhandup Crash

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Santosh Sawant, the driver of a BEST electric bus involved in the Bhandup station accident that killed four people and injured twelve. The court noted that the defence raised a genuine question about Sawant’s training, observing that he may not have received the certification required to operate an electric bus. Justice Shyam Chandak highlighted a letter from a BEST depot manager dated January 7, which said the depot lacked a certificate confirming Sawant’s training and that his name was absent from the list of qualified drivers. Despite this, BEST assigned Sawant to run Route 606 from December 1, 2025, without the required training. Prosecutors claimed Sawant drove at speed and without care, causing the bus to lose control near Bhandup railway station (West) and strike pedestrians waiting at a bus stop. Defence lawyer Devendra Patil countered that Sawant was forced to accept the assignment to avoid disciplinary action and possible job loss, and pointed out there was no evidence of reckless speed or intoxication. The court noted Sawant’s clean record since joining BEST in 2011 and the absence of any prior accidents. With the trial listing 56 witnesses and likely to extend beyond the immediate term, the court considered the bail request reasonable. Sawant had been in jail for 11 months after a Sessions Court rejected his earlier bail plea. The High Court accepted his argument and released him on bail. ## Context BEST operates a fleet of electric buses that require specific driver training to ensure safe handling of the vehicles. Lack of proper training can increase the risk of accidents, especially on busy city routes like those near Bhandup railway station.