Nagpur: In a development having wide-ranging repercussions, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has issued notices to 13 top notch personalities including Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Municipal Commissioner, Commissioner of Police, Secretaries of Home and Urban Development Department, and others in connection with the death of a 2-year old girl who fell in an unguarded pit of Reliance Jio. The tragic incident had taken place a year ago. However, the police and Nagpur Municipal Corporation failed to take any action against the truant Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd despite several complaints forcing a social activist to file a PIL in the High Court. Responding to the PIL the High Court slapped notices on the 13 top guns and sought their replies.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Shahbaz Abrar Siddiqui, aged 34 years, resident of 1210-B, Chaudhary Layout, behind Anant Nagar. The 13 top personalities who are issued notices include Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Principal Secretary, Home, Secretary, Urban Development Department, Municipal Commissioner, Police Commissioner, Sitabuldi Police Station Inspector, PSI A B Nagare of Sitabuldi Police Station, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Sanjay Mashruwala, Managing Director of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Mahendra Nahata, Member of Board of Directors, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Manoj Modi, Member of Board of Directors, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Akash Ambani, Member of Board of Directors, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and Isha Ambani, Member of Board of Directors, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited.
The PIL filed by Shahbaz Abrar Siddiqui stated that the Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL) undertook erection of 4G masts and laying of cable ducts in NMC limits in total breach of terms and conditions of agreement entered into between the company and Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Because of lethargic attitude on the part of Reliance Jio and NMC, a two-year-old girl, Pinky Solanki, died after falling into an unguarded ditch dug by RJIL near University Library Square on March 6, 2015. Reliance Jio was responsible for taking all safety and precautionary measures, such as display of reflectors, caution boards, barricades, red lanterns etc at night and during the execution of work at site to avoid any accidents or mishaps. However, the company was found to have not taken adequate measures in this regard.
The PIL brought to the notice of the High Court the lethargic and callous attitude of respondents/authorities and further sought directions against the respondents herein to take immediate appropriate and speedy action pertaining to removal of pot holes, the virtual death traps, construction materials, filling up of trenches, water holes on construction sites, such as roads, footpaths as well as squares.
Hearing the PIL, the High Court issued notices to the high-profile 13 respondents/authorities and sought their replies within a stipulated period.
