The Telangana High Court has expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the ongoing probe in the Sigachi Industries reactor blast and in particular, for neglecting mandatory inspections of hazardous “red zone” factories. The bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin said that though many departmental officers were required to inspect any such high-risk unit, only a single factory inspector had visited that unit the previous December.
The Court further pointed out that highly explosive substances were present at the factory, with exceeding permissible limits, and no corrective measures were taken.
“Where are the Labour Department and the Provident Fund officials? It seems, unless action is taken against a few, the rest will not learn,” the bench remarked. The judges emphasized that the incident must send a decisive message to enforce accountability across all regulatory departments.
The court granted officials two weeks to submit detailed explanations regarding the departmental lapses and appointed advocate Dominic Fernandez as amicus curiae to assist in subsequent hearings.
The hearing stems from a petition filed by K Baburao of Hyderabad, who sought to transfer the investigation to a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The petitioner alleged delays in the probe and the failure to disburse compensation to victims of the blast, which resulted in 54 deaths, 28 severe injuries, and 8 missing persons.
Following prior court directives, DSP S Prabhakar, Inspector Vijay Krishna, and Deputy Inspectors from the Factories Department appeared before the bench. However, the Additional Advocate General and the investigating officers were reportedly unprepared to address specific legal questions regarding mandatory laws applicable to "red zone" industries.
Criticizing the lack of enforcement, the bench remarked that such incidents are not sudden accidents but are the result of “long-term negligence and criminal misconduct by officials.”
The court instructed the investigating agency to question all regulatory departments connected to the factory’s oversight and to immediately inform the court if any pressure or interference is encountered during the probe.
The matter was adjourned until December 30. Investigators were ordered to return fully prepared to clarify the court’s concerns, and Sigachi Industries was directed to submit comprehensive details of the compensation payments announced for the victims' families.
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