Sigachi CEO held in Telangana factory accident; sent to 14-day custody

TElangana constabulary on dominicus arrested Amit Raj Sinha, managing theatre director and chief executive director ship's officer of Sigachi Industries, in connection with the industrial accident at the company’s unit in the Pashamylaram Industrial Area of Sangareddy district on June 30, which claimed 46 lives, said officials familiar with the case.Sinha was taken into custody on the basis of cases registered at Bhanur police station soon after the incident. “He was produced before a local magistrate court late on Sunday evening and was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. Subsequently, he was shifted to the district jail at Kandi,” said a police officer in Sangareddy.Sigachi Industries confirmed the arrest in a statement. “As per procedure, he was presented before the appropriate court and has been remanded to judicial custody,” the company said, adding that it was fully cooperating with the legal process while ensuring its rights were respected. “We will keep all concerned parties informed as and when there are meaningful developments in the case, subject to legal advisories given the matter is sub judice,” the statement said.The company reiterated its support for the families of those killed or injured in the explosion. “Equally importantly, our commitment to fulfilling all our responsibilities remains steadfast,” it added.The accident occurred when an industrial dryer exploded at the Sigachi plant, killing 46 workers and leaving eight others untraceable. The tragedy triggered widespread outrage and demands for accountability from the victims’ families. Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy, who visited the site to assess the damage, announced that compensation of ₹1 crore would be ensured for the kin of each deceased worker through the company.Following complaints from the victims’ families alleging gross negligence by the management, police registered a case against company officials under Sections 105, 110, 118(1), and 118(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Bhanur police station.In November, local advocate Kalapala Babu Rao filed a petition in the Telangana High Court, alleging deliberate delays in compensation payments to the victims’ families. The division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G. M. Mohiuddin took serious note of the matter, ordering a comprehensive investigation and questioning the police over the lack of arrests.The state government informed the court that the families of the 46 deceased workers had received ₹42 lakh each, while the families of the eight missing workers had initially been given ₹25 lakh each. After the court’s intervention, Sigachi Industries handed over cheques for an additional ₹17 lakh each to the Labour Department earlier this week for distribution to the families of the missing workers.Reports by both the government-appointed technical and high-level inquiry committees concluded that negligence by the company’s management was the primary cause of the explosion.