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A day after a fire snuffed out several lives at the city's premier hospital, AMRI, in Dhakuria, six of its seven arrested directors were on Saturday remanded in police custody for 10 days.
Mr R.S. Agarwal, Chairman of Emami Group, and a director of AMRI was arrested late on Friday night.
AMRI Hospitals is jointly promoted by FMCG company Emami Group, which holds 66 per cent, and city-based real-estate company Shrachi Group, which holds 32 per cent.
The State Government holds a 2 per cent stake in the hospital.
According to senior police officers of the Kolkata Police, Mr Agarwal could not be presented before the court on medical grounds as he was recuperating at a city-based private hospital.
He has been placed under arrest in hospital.
charge
Six other directors of AMRI — Mr S.K. Todi and his son Mr Ravi Todi of the Shrachi Group; Mr R.S. Goenka and his son Mr Manish Goenka, and Mr Prashant Goenka of (all directors of Emami); and Mr Dayanand Agarwal (executive director, AMRI) — were brought to the Alipore Chief Judicial Magistrate's court under security on Saturday.
All accused have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence of duty.
The death toll in the pre-dawn fire at AMRI's Dhakuria unit rose to 91 (including two hospital staff) on Saturday.
“There was a blatant violation of fire norms at the hospital,” Mr Kalyan Banerjee, Special Public Prosecutor, told newspersons.
Mr Amitava Banerjee, appearing on behalf of the accused, however, said outside the court that he was not allowed to move his bail plea.
Fire-audit committee
The AMRI management will soon set up a five-member committee to probe into the matter, a press release issued by the hospital said.
The West Bengal Government has come up with a five-member fire-audit committee to review fire-safety norms across buildings, high-rises and healthcare institutions in the city.
The committee will inspect buildings across the city every week and report to the Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee.
Action will be taken against the offenders based on the findings of the committee.
“A notification relating to the formation of the audit committee and it's scope of operations will be made on Monday,” Mr Javed Ahmed Khan, State Fire and Emergency Services Minister, told reporters at Writers' Buildings.
According to the Minister, the committee is expected to be headed by the Additional Director General of Fire Services, Mr D.P. Biswas.
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