Delhi Anaj Mandi fire: Court sends owner, manager of factory to judicial custody

The owner and manager of the factory which caught fire in old Delhi's Anaj Mandi area earlier this month, have been sent to judicial custody till January 4 by a Delhi court on Monday. The court also observed the need for a "multi-pronged investigation" into the case. Those who have been sent to the jail are – Rehan, who is the owner of the building and Furkan, his manager. The tragic incident claimed as many as 43 lives while 62 others were injured.

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Need for multi-pronged investigation

Metropolitan Magistrate Manoj Kumar, in the order, stated, "Considering the anonymity of the incident, this court is of the opinion that there is a need for multi-pronged investigation and the custody of the accused was necessary." The court stated that illegal factories were operating in the building without clearance from the concerned authorities. "Initial investigation has shown the role of other accused and the custody of the said persons are required."

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On December 9, the court had sent the two accused to police custody and were produced before the court on Monday at the end of their remand period. Seeking their further custody, the Delhi Police told the court that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team is investigating the site of the incident and the accused are need to taken there for investigation.

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Tragedy in Delhi's Anaj Mandi

A fire broke out in an illegal factory of a four-storey building located in the congested Anaj Mandi area in Delhi on December 8. Forty-three people lost their lives in the incident on which the police and fire department officials had said most people died for suffocation. The Delhi government had ordered a magisterial inquiry and Rs 10 lakh assistance to the kin of the deceased. The Prime Minister's Office had also ordered ex-gratia compensation over the tragedy.

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(With ANI inputs)