Five accused absconding in Sigachi explosion case, Government tells HC

The State government informed the Telangana High Court on Wednesday that five persons wanted in the Sigachi reactor blast case at Pashamailaram in Sangareddy district were absconding, while one was already arrested.

The Additional Advocate General, T. Rajanikanth Reddy, informed the bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin, hearing a PIL petition over the blast in the factory in June 2025, that the managing director and chief executive officer of Sigachi Industries Limited, Amit Raj Sinha, was arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Sinha, the second accused in the case, had been lodged in Sangareddy central prison at Kandi.

The absconding accused are, whole time directors Rabindra Prasad Sinha (75), Chidambaranathan (82), and directors Bindu Vinodhan (54), Dhanalaxmi Guntaka (47) and Yeddula Janardhan Reddy (67). The AAG said that the investigators examined over 300 witnesses, including officials from 16 different government departments. In the investigation conducted so far, no culpability on the part of any person or agency was found. The probe was nearing completion and the charge-sheet is likely to be filed soon.

The petitioner’s counsel, Vasudha Nagaraj, told the bench that Sigachi management backtracked on the promise of payment of one crore rupees compensation to the kin of each of the 54 victims who died in the explosion. She sought a direction to the government to clarify its stand on the point of one crore rupees compensation.

Senior counsel S. Nirajan Reddy, appearing for Sigachi, said the factory management would be paying Rs. 42 lakh compensation each to the families of the victims. The remaining sum was likely to be paid by the State and the Central governments. The management signed an agreement on July 1, 2025 consenting to pay Rs. 42 lakh compensation to each of the victims families, the counter affidavit filed by the management said. While some amount was paid, post-dated cheques were issued for the remaining sums.

The company informed the High Court that sums of two lakh rupees and one lakh rupees were paid to workers who sustained major and minor injuries respectively while all medical expenses were borne by it. The senior counsel appealed to the bench to ensure the case was investigated on merits and the trial court was not under pressure while adjudicating bail plea of the arrested persons in the backdrop of the PIL petition being heard by the HC.

The Amicus Curiae in the case, Dominic Fernandes, sought some more time to study the report submitted by the government and the different legislations that can be brought into play in the matter. Observing that it was ‘not controlling the investigation, the bench adjourned the matter to January 29.