Kaushambi, Sep 1: A case has been registered against six people following a firecracker factory blast that claimed 11 lives in the Pipri police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi, invoking serious charges including Explosives Act violations, officials said on Tuesday.

Two accused, Shabnam and Saina, were arrested and taken into custody for questioning. The FIR has been registered under sections 105/288 BNS and 4/5/9B of the Explosives Act against the accused.

At least 11 people were killed, and five others were injured after a massive fire triggered a series of explosions at a firecracker factory in Manouri Bazaar under Pipri police station limits of Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district.

Action was also taken against the Pipri SHO and beat constables Jitendra Kumar and Krishna Kumar for their “gross negligence in discharging their official duties and for not registering information related to the operation of the firecracker factory” and “not registering information related to the operation” of the facility.

“It is noteworthy that in view of the seriousness of the incident, the Superintendent of Police prima facie found gross negligence and indifference in discharging their official duties and hence, the Station House Officer Pipri Vikas Singh, Outpost House Officer Chail Sub Inspector Amit Dwivedi and former Outpost House Officer Chail Sub Inspector Manish Pal were placed on line duty with immediate effect,” Kaushambi Police said in a statement.

Officials said that the investigation is ongoing and legal proceedings are underway.

Meanwhile, earlier, the District Magistrate assured strict action against those found responsible for the tragedy. He said criminal cases would be registered under serious sections of the law, and stringent measures, including property attachment, would be initiated in accordance with government directives.

Five injured persons are undergoing treatment at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital in Prayagraj.

Following the explosions, administrative and police teams cordoned off the area and intensified rescue efforts. Officials fear that more people may still be trapped beneath the debris of the factory and nearby structures that collapsed in the blast. Search and clearance operations are continuing.

Patna, Sep 1: In a major anti-corruption operation, the Vigilance Investigation Bureau arrested Amit Pratap Singh, Block Development Officer (BDO) of Phulidumar block in Banka district, while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 75,000 on Tuesday.

The trap operation was conducted at the BDO’s private residence in Nehru Colony, Banka town.

Following the arrest, the Vigilance team took the BDO and his maternal uncle, Bachchan Prasad Singh, who was present at the residence, to the Banka Circuit House for questioning.

According to the Vigilance Department, Phulidumar Block Pramukh Gautam Prakash had submitted a written complaint to the Vigilance Bureau in Patna.

He alleged that the BDO was demanding Rs 75,000 in exchange for granting administrative approval and facilitating the withdrawal of funds for various development schemes under the Panchayati Raj Department.

Following the complaint, the Vigilance Bureau conducted a preliminary verification of the allegations.

The verification reportedly confirmed the demand for a bribe, following which a trap team was constituted.

A team led by a DSP-rank officer reached the BDO’s residence in Nehru Colony on Tuesday morning and laid a trap.

According to an official, the Block Pramukh handed over the agreed amount of Rs 75,000 to the BDO, following which the Vigilance personnel immediately apprehended him.

The arrest has caused a stir in administrative circles in Banka, from the Phulidumar block office to the district headquarters.

The arrest came a day after the BDO was involved in another controversy.

On Monday, a heated altercation and scuffle reportedly broke out between Amit Pratap Singh and former Mukhiya Sanjeev Mandal over the issuance of a birth certificate.

Following a complaint lodged by the BDO in connection with that incident, police arrested the former Mukhiya and sent him to judicial custody.

The BDO’s arrest in the alleged bribery case the following day has drawn considerable attention in the district.

The Vigilance team is currently completing the necessary legal formalities.

The accused persons are expected to be produced before the Special Vigilance Court in Patna for further proceedings.

Patna, Sep 1: Sanjeev Mukhiya, whose name surfaced prominently in connection with the Patna NEET-UG question paper leak case in 2024, has received relief from a special court, which ordered his release from judicial custody after the CBI did not file a chargesheet against him.

The order was passed during a hearing on Monday evening, when Mukhiya appeared before the court through video conferencing.

The court directed his release after considering the status of the CBI investigation and the absence of a chargesheet against him.

However, he will stay in jail in another case.

Mukhiya had come under the scrutiny of investigating agencies after his alleged links to the NEET-UG paper leak surfaced.

The CBI had interrogated him and examined his possible role in the network allegedly involved in the leakage and distribution of the question paper.

However, during the course of its investigation, the agency did not file a charge sheet against Mukhiya.

The absence of sufficient evidence to proceed against him was taken into consideration during the court proceedings.

The CBI has investigated the roles of several accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case and, according to reports, has filed charge sheets against 45 accused persons.

The agency examined the alleged chain of events from the leakage of the question paper to its distribution among candidates.

The NEET-UG paper leak case came to light in 2024, following which the Bihar Police initially investigated the matter.

The Central government subsequently handed over the investigation to the CBI.

The CBI registered its own case on June 23, 2024, as RC-224/2024. A separate case had earlier been registered by the Bihar Police at Shastri Nagar police station in Patna as Case No. 358/2024.

After taking over the probe, the CBI questioned several suspects, examined documents and investigated the alleged network involved in the paper leak and the subsequent distribution of the question paper.

Sanjeev Mukhiya’s name emerged during the investigation, leading the agency to examine his alleged role.

He was questioned and subjected to remand proceedings, prompting speculation that he could eventually be chargesheeted.

However, the CBI ultimately did not file a chargesheet against him.

Based on the current status of the investigation, the special court has now ordered his release from judicial custody after the required bail bonds were furnished.

The court’s order provides Mukhiya relief from continued judicial custody in this case.

However, the order should not be interpreted as a judicial finding that all allegations surrounding the broader NEET-UG paper leak case have been disproved.