The Supreme Court of India has delivered a significant ruling, paving the way for the full trial of all 15 individuals accused in the devastating TRP game zone fire in Rajkot. The apex court dismissed a plea by a suspended municipal officer, effectively upholding the serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against everyone involved in the tragedy that claimed 27 lives.
Supreme Court's Decisive Order
A bench comprising Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by suspended Rajkot Municipal Corporation fire officer Rohit Vigora. The order, dated November 18, was made public recently. The court stated it did not find "a good ground to interfere with the impugned judgement" of the Gujarat High Court.
This decision by the Supreme Court marks the final legal hurdle before the trial begins in earnest. Vigora had sought discharge from the charges framed under Section 304 Part 2 of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) by the Rajkot Sessions Court.
The Path to the Apex Court
The legal journey leading to this Supreme Court order involved multiple stages. After a chargesheet was filed, several accused, including municipal officials, moved discharge applications before the Sessions Court. These pleas were rejected.
The court agreed with the prosecution's argument that at this stage, a detailed "mini trial" to examine evidence in depth is not permitted by law. The accused then appealed to the Gujarat High Court, which also dismissed their petitions, leading Vigora to approach the Supreme Court.
Special Public Prosecutor Tushar Gokani had strongly advocated for framing charges under Section 304 (Part 2). He argued that the investigating officers had collected incriminating evidence supporting the serious charge and that the accused could not merely raise doubts about the prosecution's evidence without cross-examining witnesses.
The Tragedy and Its Aftermath
The case stems from the horrific fire that broke out at the TRP game zone in Rajkot on May 25, 2024. The blaze resulted in the deaths of 27 people. Subsequent investigations revealed shocking lapses: the entertainment facility had not obtained a mandatory Fire No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and was allegedly operating in connivance with civic authorities.
The police eventually booked 15 individuals, including:
- Partners and managers of the TRP game zone.
- Officials from the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), such as Town Planning Officer Mansukh Sagathiya, Assistant TPOs Rajesh Makwana and Gautam Joshi, and former Assistant Engineer Jaideep Chaudhary.
With the Supreme Court's dismissal of the final plea, the stage is now set for the Sessions Court to conduct the trial where all 15 accused will face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for their alleged roles in the catastrophic incident.
