TRP Game Zone fire: RMC panel nod to prosecute ex-town planner, chief fire officer

Standing Committee chairman Jaimin Thakar said, “We had received a letter from the state home department recently, directing us that these two officers have to be prosecuted in the TRP Game Zone fire case and that necessary sanction may be given at the earliest. Accordingly, the standing committee discussed the proposal sent by the municipal commissioner and approved the same.”

After the approval of the standing committee, the proposal granting sanction to prosecute Kher and Sagathiya — both Class I officers — will be referred to the RMC general board for its ratification.

A massive fire had broken out in a shed housing indoor gaming facilities at TRP Game Zone on May 25, killing 27 people. The special investigation team  of Rajkot City Police had charged Sagathiya and Kher – both currently in jail – for their alleged acts of omission leading to the fire.

As per the SIT, they were aware that a giant shed in the amusement park didn’t have fire safety clearance and required approvals from the RMC town planning department but neither took any action against the park. The SIT alleged that Kher was also aware about a fire having broken out at TRP Game Zone on September 4, 2023 but took no action.

Existing rules bar a court from taking cognizance of chargesheet against government servants without prior sanction from competent authority to prosecute such servants. In case of the RMC, the powers to give sanction for prosecution of its Class I officers are vested in its 72-member general board – the highest decision-making body of the civic body.

The municipal commissioner is authorised to give sanction to prosecute Class II, III and IV employees. Thakar said the commissioner has already granted sanction to prosecute six Class II and III RMC employees, who have also been charged in the case.

The proposal forwarded to  standing committee by the office of Municipal Commissioner Devang Desai referred to a letter sent by ACP (Crime) Bharat Basiya on July 18, seeking sanction of the RMC to prosecute Sagathiya and Kher.

“As stated in the letter, the two officers are public servants attached to the Rajkot Municipal Corporation and sanction has been sought before filing chargesheet and initiating criminal proceedings against them under Section 197 of CrPC,” the proposal stated. Basiya was the investigating officer of the case in which 15 people were arrested and subsequently charged.