The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Gujarat): A Gujarat court has issued a notice to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) involved in probing the tragic fire at the TRP game zone in Rajkot, which resulted in the loss of 35 lives. The court’s action comes in response to a plea demanding the registration of criminal cases against several IPS and IAS officers who were either transferred or suspended following the incident.
On Wednesday, Additional Judicial Magistrate B P Thakar called for a status report by 20 June on the ongoing inquiry against these officials, as informed by lawyer Rajesh Jalu, who represents petitioner Vinesh Chhaya.
The petition underscores serious allegations of negligence, arguing that the circumstances leading to the officials’ transfer or suspension suffice for initiating criminal proceedings under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing grievous hurt by acts endangering life or personal safety.
Highlighting a significant oversight, the plea points out that the TRP game zone had been operating without the necessary permissions or licenses for over three years, directly implicating the responsibilities of the accused officials in ensuring regulatory compliance and public safety.
The officials in question include the then Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava, Municipal Commissioner Anand Patel, and other police and civic officials who have been sidelined pending further investigation. Their alleged failures have sparked calls for accountability in the management of public safety regulations.
Furthermore, the court has recently granted an eight-day police remand for Kiritsinh Jadeja, the fifth suspect arrested in connection with the fire. This development is part of a broader effort to address the systemic failures that led to this catastrophe.
As the community mourns the loss of lives and seeks justice, this legal pursuit against high-ranking officials underscores the urgent need for stringent enforcement of safety norms and the accountability of public servants.