Gujarat game zone blaze: Rajkot chief fire officer, deputy CFO arrested

The Rajkot Municipal Corporation's chief fire officer and deputy CFO were arrested on Saturday in connection with the massive blaze at a game zone here on May 25, which resulted in the deaths of 27 persons, including children.

CFO Ilesh Kher and Deputy CFO Bhikha Theba as well as Mahesh Rathod, who was the supervisor of the fabrication work going on at the ill-fated TRP Game Zone, were arrested, the official said.

"Theba is already in jail in connection with a corruption case and his custody was taken through a transfer warrant. With this, we have so far arrested 15 persons in connection with the blaze," he said. Kher was accused of not inquiring about whether the unit possessed a valid fire NOC certificate as well as proper fire fighting equipment after a similar blaze broke out during welding work at TRP game zone on September 4 last year, a statement from the police said. Rathod was held for alleged negligence in his duty and not ensuring proper safety during the welding work, it added.

Among those arrested earlier include the civic body's Town Planning Officer MD Sagathia, who is presently under suspension. He is also an accused in a disproportionate assets case being probed by the Anti Corruption Bureau. These persons have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing grievous hurt by act that endangers life or personal safety of others, forgery, criminal conspiracy, among others. Police probe so far has found the game zone was running without a no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation.