Bawana Fire: Owner of firecracker storage unit sent to one-day judicial custody

A Magistrate on Sunday sent Manoj Jain, the owner of the firecracker storage unit in Bawana where 17 people were killed in a massive blaze yesterday, to a one-day judicial custody. Jain will be produced before a court on Monday where police will seek his custody.

Jain was arrested after an FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible material. Jain was apprehended and questioned yesterday.

He was produced before Rohini Duty Magistrate who sent him to one-day judicial custody.

"Manoj Jain, who ran the factory, has been arrested. A probe revealed it was a factory of "cold firecrackers" used in stage shows and Holi celebrations, said Rajneesh Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini), earlier today. 

Firecracker packages found at the site suggest the same, he said.

Jain had rented the factory from January 1, the DCP said.

The fire had started in the storage unit on the ground floor of the two-storey building and ripped through the structure.

Of the 17 killed, ten were women. A man and woman were injured.

(With PTI inputs)