Bawana fire incident: Prime witness receives life threats

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 14

A case of threat to life of the prime witness, Roop Prakash Singh, in the fire incident occurred in a crackers factory running illegally in Bawana Industrial Area has come to light. He was given the threat on May 3 when he was coming out of the Rohini Court premises after recording his statement. 

His complaint was not only registered in the Rohini Court Police Station, but it has been taken into record as well on May 1 during the case hearing.

In Bawana Industrial Area, in the fire incident occurred on January 20 in which 17 people had died. All the victims were factory workers, whereas at the time of the incident, Singh having jumped from the roof of the factory managed to escape and saved his life. Though, he got his legs fractured.

He is the prime witness of the incident. Because of his statement police got information about many illegal activities going on in the factory and the name of arrested factory owner Manoj Jain’s son Rinku came to fro as well.

Singh had told the police that on the eve of the incident, Rinku after giving the workers some snacks locked the factory gate from outside.

Because of that on breaking out of the fire the workers inside the factory could not come out and were burnt to death. Rinku has not been arrested yet.

The Crime Branch has already filed the case in the court. In this concern, the advocate, Rishipal Singh, on the behalf of Prakash raising the question on police investigation had filed an application in which it was said that Prakash after recording the statement under the IPC 164, the police has not arrested Rinku nor his mobile CDR has been submitted. The victim has been threatened.

On Friday, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rohini Court Gagandeep Singh while hearing the petition mentioned about the threat given to Prakash in the issued order. Though, on information given by the investigating officer about the ongoing investigation the application was rejected.