Ahmedabad, July 20 (IANS) A metropolitan court in Ahmedabad on Monday remanded the three accused in the firecracker factory blast case to seven days’ police custody, allowing investigators to question them until July 27 as they continue probing one of the city’s deadliest industrial accidents in recent years.
The accused — factory operator Ramila Dodia, her son Mehul Dodia, and their alleged partner Sadiq Saiyed — were produced before the court after their arrest in connection with the explosion at the ‘New Gujarat Fire Works’ unit in Vastral village.
Police had sought 14 days’ custody, telling the court that the accused were not cooperating with the investigation and that further custodial interrogation was necessary to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the illegal operation of the factory, the procurement of explosives, financial transactions and the involvement of any other persons connected with the unit.
The court, however, granted seven days’ police remand.
Opposing any request for bail, the government prosecutor submitted that “the case involved a grave offence in which 10 people had lost their lives, and five others had sustained injuries”.
The prosecutor also informed the court that four of those killed were below the age of 18, highlighting the seriousness of the incident.
The explosion occurred on Saturday afternoon at the firecracker manufacturing unit on Ramol-Gatrad Road behind the Rapid Action Force (RAF) camp.
The blast triggered a major fire that destroyed the factory, trapping workers inside. Rescue operations were carried out by personnel from the RAF, Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services and the police.
This morning, the death toll rose to 10 after Govind Damor, who had sustained more than 95 per cent burns, died while undergoing treatment at Civil Hospital. Five other injured persons continue to receive treatment.
Police have registered a case under Sections 105, 287, 288 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 5(A) and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and Section 9(B) of the Explosives Act, 1884.
Investigators allege the factory had been operating illegally despite its licence having expired earlier this year.
According to the police, the unit had resumed manufacturing firecrackers in the weeks leading up to the blast to fulfil orders for the upcoming Ganesh festival.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-8) Mayur Patil, is conducting the investigation with assistance from forensic experts, the Fire Department and other agencies.
The police are expected to use the remand period to question the accused on the source of the explosives, the alleged illegal operation of the factory, the role of other individuals involved and the circumstances that led to the explosion.
–IANS
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