Jalandhar:
A local court granted bail to Sheetal Vij, owner of the blanket factory that collapsed on April 15 killing at least 23 workers, after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to look into the matter did not find ample evidence against him.
He was arrested on April 16 and booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The Punjab government has ordered a probe by a senior officer into the collapse of the four-storeyed building of Sheetal Fabrics, a blanket manufacturing unit. It was alleged that the safety certification of the collapsed factory had expired over a year ago and had not been renewed. The factory building was constructed four-five years ago.
On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who had visited the site on April 17, a three-member SIT headed by Additional Police Commissioner Navjot Singh Mahal was constituted to probe the case. But the SIT, in its report submitted in the court, failed to find enough evidence against Mr Vij.
The building had collapsed in Focal Point area here leaving 23 dead and maiming several others.