Ammonia leak: Tiruvallur unit owners, head granted bail

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court granted conditional bail to the owners and manager of a shrimp processing factory arrested in the Tiruvallur ammonia gas leak case, while directing the factory owners to pay Rs 10 lakh each as compensation to the kin of the 18 victims.

Justice C Kumarappan granted conditional bail, directing the petitioners to appear before the IO daily until further orders and cooperate with the investigation.

The judge also directed the factory owners to pay Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and said a detailed order on compensation for the injured would be passed later.

On June 21, an ammonia gas leak at St Peter and Paul Seafoods Exports Pvt Ltd in Kannigaipair village near Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district killed 18 workers, most of them migrant women, and left more than 80 others hospitalised. Factory owners M Joseph Jegan and M Mohan, factory manager R Daniel, and labour agent Suresh were arrested. The trio filed bail petitions before the Madras High Court.

During the hearing, the prosecution opposed the plea, contending that the investigation was still under way.

Appearing for the petitioners, senior counsel RC Paul Kanagaraj submitted that the accused had been in judicial custody for more than 50 days and were willing to comply with any conditions imposed by the court. The judge granted them conditional bail.