Calcutta HC asks Railway, state government to inspect Dum Dum factory

Kolkata: The Calcutta high court on Monday directed Railway and state authorities to inspect the premises of the Jessop factory and make an inventory of materials by December 16 in connection with a case alleging police inaction by the unit’s management over access to the premises some time ago.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed that a three-member team comprising director (stores) of Indian railways, district magistrate of North 24 Parganas and additional director general of police (CID) to conduct the inspection of the goods, take them into possession and submit a report to him by December 19.

The ruling came during the hearing in the case filed by the railways, which had earlier alleged of the violation of contract by Jessop & Co Ltd of Dunlop India by failing to supply the rakes although goods worth Rs 50 crore were supplied to the company. Lawyer for the firm, Shudhhaswatta Banerjee told the high court that Jessop had no objection in handing over the goods to the Railways.

Chairman, Ruia Group of Dunlop India, Pawan Ruia has been summoned by the CID four times in the past in connection with its probe into the theft and fire at the Jessop factory, but each time he had failed to appear.

Mr Ruia, now in custody of the CID, with the Barrackpore court Sunday rejecting his bail plea while also granting the agency 14 more days to keep him in its custody for further interrogation, had to on Monday go through separate rounds of questioning by officials at Bhawani Bhavan, sources said.