Blast victims’ kin given Rs 42L each, Sigachi tells Telangana HC | Hyderabad News
HYDERABAD: Sigachi Industries, where a deadly blast killed 54 workers in June 2025, has informed Telangana high court that it paid 42 lakh compensation to each of the families of the deceased, and clarified that the remaining portion of the 1 crore compensation previously announced was to be paid by the govt.In its counter filed in response to the public interest litigation (PIL), Sigachi stated before a bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin that, following discussions held with the authorities in the immediate aftermath of the blast, the company management made an agreement on July 1, 2025 to pay 42 lakh as compensation.The company confirmed that the process was complete, with post-dated cheques issued to the victims’ families. It also stated that workers with major and minor injuries received 2 lakh and 1 lakh respectively, and that the firm bore all medical expenses.Senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy, representing Sigachi, argued that the company disbursed all statutory amounts and urged the bench to ensure the investigation remained merit-based. Citing the recent Air India crash at Ahmedabad that killed 241 persons, where no arrests were made, he said that they were cooperating with the investigation and even the MD has been remanded in judicial custody. He also expressed concern that the pending PIL might inadvertently pressure the trial court regarding bail petitions for the arrested MD and absconding accused.During the hearing on Wednesday, the state govt informed the court that the investigation had not yet found any culpability in the incident. Additional advocate general T Rajinikanth Reddy stated that while the probe was in its final stages and a chargesheet was expected within a week, the examination of over 300 witnesses and officials from 16 regulatory agencies did not disclose any fault. He noted that company’s MD Amit Raj Sinha remained in judicial remand.The petitioner’s counsel, Vasudha Nagaraj, objected to the compensation figures, alleging that Sigachi deviated from its initial promise of 1 crore per family. She sought judicial directions for the state to clarify the discrepancy.Recording the submissions, the high court bench emphasised that its primary goal was to establish facts regarding the investigation and compensation. “We are not controlling the investigation,” the bench observed, adding that investigators must independently determine liability. The matter was adjourned to Jan 29.
