Click to play videoKolkata: Two more senior officials of the AMRI Hospital in south Kolkata were arrested on Tuesday and remanded in 10-day police custody over the fire tragedy that left 93 people dead. This has taken the total number of arrests to nine.
Sanjeev Pal, the maintenance manager of AMRI Hospital, had issued an undertaking to the government to remove from the hospital's basement all hazardous substances by October. On the basis of that commitment the hospital secured clearance from the fire department.
Investigations now reveal that the hospital delayed reporting the fire to the police because it was concerned that it could be hauled up for not clearing the basement as promised. It was largely on account of this delay that 93 people perished. On Tuesday, the police arrested Pal along with AMRI's Vice President Dr Satyabrata Upadhyay and secured 10 days' remand.
Ashok Mukherjee, Defense Counsel, said, "Our argument is that the persons who were produced in court are not directly responsible for this unfortunate accident or incident. And the penal code sections which have been charged against them are not applicable in any manner."
However, Public Prosecutor Shakti Bhattacharya said, "They are directly involved in the situation, this much I can say in this regard."
Investigators are on the hunt for more people who tried to supress the news of the fire from reaching the police or the closest fire station, and who at the same time prevented locals from entering the hospital. With seven directors and two senior officials already detained, the police are now trying to join the dots and secure witnesses from among insiders.
The investigators' efforts to pinpoint responsibility on individuals will help them in not only framing the chargesheet but also in making a watertight case of criminal negligence against the hospital authorities.
The challenge before investigators now is to establish the charge of culpable homicide which will lead to exemplary punishment.
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