Gujarat HC Orders Fresh Probe into Vadodara Boat Tragedy

The Gujarat High Court has rejected the state's inquiry report on the Vadodara boat tragedy that claimed 14 lives, ordering a fresh probe. The court criticized the report for protecting a former municipal commissioner who approved an unqualified firm's contract. A new report is to be submitted by July 12.

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday rejected a state government inquiry report into a boat tragedy in Vadodara, ordering a fresh probe. The court noted the report absolves a former civic chief and questioned his decision to award the lakefront operation contract to an unqualified firm.

The HC criticized the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department for the report's preparation, coming nearly six months after the tragedy that claimed 14 lives. A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi is handling the suo motu PIL on the incident. The report suggested no wrongdoing by the former municipal commissioner who had approved the contract, leading the court to demand an impartial inquiry.

Advocate General Kamal Trivedi admitted the report's language could have been better and accepted the need for a fresh probe. The court set July 12 for the new report's submission.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)