Pune candle factory fire: HC grants interim protection from arrest to land owner

The Bombay High Court has granted interim protection from arrest to a 61-year-old woman owner of a land in Maharashtra’s Pune district where a fire at a candle manufacturing factory last month killed 14 people.

A single bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal on Tuesday granted the interim protection to Jannat Shikalgar till February 6 and sought the prosecution’s response to her plea seeking pre-arrest bail in the case.

Shikalgar has been charged by the Dehu Road police at Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune district under Indian Penal Code sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible material and explosive substance and causing hurt, as well as provisions of the Explosives Act. The fire following a blast at the sparkling candles manufacturing factory on December 8, 2023 claimed 14 lives. Shikalgar is the owner of the land where the factory is located. Apart from Shikalgar, the FIR also named her husband and the factory owner.

In her plea, filed through advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, Shikalgar said she had given the land on the leave and license basis to the factory owner for a period of three years from June 2023 and all requisite licenses were to be obtained by the licensee.
Deshmukh argued that Shikalgar cannot be held responsible for any lapse. He also submitted to the court that Shikalgar suffers from paralysis and hence custodial interrogation was not required.

The bench adjourned the matter till February 6 after the prosecution sought time but granted interim protection from arrest to Shikalgar until then.