Court Demands Answers on Sigachi Blast Probe Speed

The Telangana high court has sharply criticized the pace of the investigation into the Sigachi Industries blast that resulted in the deaths of 54 workers. During a hearing, a division bench questioned why a dedicated Special Investigation Team (SIT) with expert members had not been constituted, nor had the case been transferred to a specialized agency like the CB-CID. The court indicated that the current progress, being handled by a DSP-rank officer, might necessitate a court-monitored probe.

The bench highlighted the extensive witness examinations, noting that 237 witnesses had already been questioned, and inquired if this was insufficient for filing a chargesheet. Lawyers representing the petitioner pointed to the state-appointed committee's findings, which indicated the company operated with illegally stored materials and employed unskilled workers in hazardous conditions. Concerns were also raised that many affected workers were still awaiting promised compensation.

The state's additional advocate general informed the court that the police had recently received the expert committee's report and were close to completing their investigation, with approximately 20 more witnesses pending. However, the court pressed further, questioning the direction of the probe and whether statements had been taken from statutory agencies, emphasizing that officials responsible for enforcing laws like the Factories Act had not yet been examined.