1 week Ago
Vadodara: An additional sessions court here on Tuesday rejected the discharge application filed by 15 persons accused in the Harni boat capsize case . They had filed the discharge application and over the last couple of months argued that they had no role to play in the day-to-day administration of the company that was given the contract to run the boating facility by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). "The accused contended that they were just silent partners and didn't play an active role in running the company.
We argued that they were partners and were aware of its workings," said Anil Desai, the special prosecutor in this case. "The court heard both sides and said there was evidence to believe the accused were involved in the offence and rejected their discharge application. Charges will now be framed against all the accused," Desai told TOI.
Twelve children and two schoolteachers drowned after the boat they were in capsized in Harni Lake on Jan 18 last year. The investigation later found that the 15-seater boat was carrying 29 people, including 23 children, and no safety measures were provided for. Kotia Projects had been given the contract to run the boating facility by the VMC and thus all the stakeholders of the company were arrested, along with the boat's driver and helper.
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