Rajkot: A Rajkot court on Monday dismissed the discharge applications filed by seven accused in connection with the devastating 2024 fire at the TRP Game Zone that claimed 27 lives, most of them children and young adults. The incident left the city in mourning and drew widespread outrage over alleged administrative negligence.
The court of Additional District Judge D.S. Singh rejected the discharge petitions of seven key accused, including Mansukh Sagathiya, the former Town Planning Officer (TPO) of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation. The court ordered that charges be formally framed against all seven. In total, 15 people have been arrested in the case so far, all allegedly linked to the lapses that led to the deadly blaze at the gaming facility.
Those who sought discharge include Rajesh Makwana, Dhaval Thakkar, Nitinkumar Lodha, Bhikha Theba, Gautam Joshi, Jaydeep Chaudhari, and Mansukh Sagathiya. Thakkar and Lodha were partners in the TRP Game Zone, while Makwana, Joshi, Chaudhari, and Sagathiya held positions within the Rajkot Municipal Corporation’s Town Planning Department. Theba served as the deputy chief fire officer.
According to the prosecution, these individuals played roles in allowing the gaming zone to operate without essential approvals, such as a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) and Building Use (BU) permission. Officials are also accused of manipulating official records to falsely show that the zone’s application for regularization was pending.
Special Public Prosecutor Tushar Gokani said the court reviewed multiple case documents, including the police report and chargesheet, and found enough material to proceed. “While rejecting their discharge pleas, the court also considered the legal position laid down by the Supreme Court that even strong suspicion based on the materials on record is sufficient to frame a charge. The material on record sufficiently establishes the prima facie involvement of the accused persons in the tragic incident,” Gokani said.
Advocate Suresh Faldu, representing several victims’ families, welcomed the court’s decision. “We strongly opposed the pleas and urged the court to let the trial proceed so the accused can be held accountable,” he said.
The fire broke out on May 25, 2024, at the TRP Game Zone, causing the deaths of 27 individuals. The incident highlighted severe gaps in regulatory enforcement and brought increased scrutiny to urban safety standards in the city.