PUNE: A local court today remanded Santosh Mane, the state transport driver who went on a rampage mowing down eight persons and injuring 27 others here, in police custody till February 3.

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.

No advocate appeared on behalf of Mane in response to an appeal issued by the Pune Bar Association.

The district government pleader Ujwala Pawar, who sought 14 days' police remand for 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.

After stealing an empty bus, Mane went berserk on the crowded streets of Pune yesterday morning, smashing all vehicles coming in the way.

The 30-year-old driver, attached to the Swargate depot of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, was arrested after an hour-long chase near Neelayam theatre in the city. 

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