Bawana fire tragedy: Court grants bail to owner of firecracker factory

A Delhi court today granted bail to the owner of a firecracker factory in north west Delhi where 17 people were killed in a massive blaze earlier this year.

Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar granted the relief to accused Manoj Jain, who was arrested on January 31 in connection with the fire incident, on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of like amount.

Advocate Rishipal Singh, representing all the victims, said he would move the high court against the bail order.

The court released Jain on bail on the grounds of parity considering that other accused, except one, have secured the relief already.

I have heard the contentions of both the sides and have gone through the material placed on record. Other co-accused persons except accused Lalit Goyal are on bail. Hence at this stage, on the grounds of parity accused Manoj Jain is admitted to bail, the judge said.

The court also imposed conditions on the accused including that he would surrender his passport and not leave the country without permission of the court.

Jain has also been asked to appear before the court in every hearing and not try to influence witnesses in any manner.

In his bail plea filed through advocate Pradeep Rana, Jain contended that he has been in judicial custody since January 31 and was no more required to be kept in custody.

Opposing his bail plea, the additional public prosecutor said that the charge sheet has been filed against him under serious offences and the matter is at the initial stage.

He said that the accused was well versed about the danger in which the labourers were working in his factory. Therefore, he should not be granted bail.

The police had in March this year filed a charge sheet in a city court against Jain, co-owner Lalit Goyal and five others.

A fire had broken out in the storage unit on the ground floor of the two-storey building in Bawana area on January 20 and engulfed the entire structure.

Of the 17 killed, 10 were women. A man and woman were also injured in the incident.