Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The nearly 600-page inquiry report into the deaths of 36 people in Indore’s Bhagirathpura following a contaminated water incident will soon be made available on the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s website.
The Indore Bench on Monday directed that the report of the inquiry commission headed by retired Justice Sushil Gupta be uploaded online.
The direction came during the hearing of public interest litigations related to the Bhagirathpura incident. The court was considering applications filed by advocates representing the petitioners, who had sought access to the inquiry report and its findings.
The inquiry commission submitted its report before the High Court in August, but it had remained confidential. After the report was placed before the court, lawyers representing the petitioners sought its publication and copies for detailed examination.
Following Monday’s direction, advocates associated with the case will be able to access the report online and study its contents. The report is expected to be uploaded within a day or two after it is scanned and processed for online publication.
The court’s direction clears the way for the long-confidential report to enter the public domain. Until now, access to the document had remained restricted despite its submission before the court.
The inquiry commission headed by retired Justice Sushil Gupta examined the circumstances surrounding the Bhagirathpura incident, in which 36 people died following the reported contamination of drinking water. Its findings are now expected to be examined by the parties involved in the proceedings.
The online publication will enable petitioners and their lawyers to examine the findings in detail and use the material during the ongoing legal proceedings. It will also make the report accessible to others following the case once it is uploaded on the court’s website.
The report had assumed significance in the proceedings as it was prepared by a commission headed by a retired High Court judge and submitted to the court in August. Petitioners had repeatedly sought access to the document following its submission.
With the High Court directing its online publication, the report is set to become publicly accessible. However, its exact findings and observations will be known only after the complete document is uploaded and made available on the High Court website.
The matter will continue to be heard by the High Court in connection with the public interest litigations concerning the Bhagirathpura deaths.
