Ahmedabad Court Rejects Anticipatory Bail Of Illegal Firecracker Factory Owner After Fatal Ramol Blast Killed 11

An Additional Sessions Court in Ahmedabad rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by Chetan Jatsingh Solanki, the owner of a land parcel in Ramol where an unlicensed firecracker factory exploded, claiming the lives of 11 underprivileged tribal workers—including four children—and critically injuring three others.

Solanki had approached the court seeking protection from potential police arrest. Rejecting the plea, Additional Sessions Judge J.I. Patel held that Solanki had committed severe negligence by leasing the land without verifying whether statutory safety licenses had been obtained to manufacture high-risk explosives.

Court Cites Gross Negligence Over Unlicensed Operations

Prosecution details revealed that Solanki had leased the land in the Vastral-Ramol area to co-accused Mehul Dodiya on a 10-year notarised lease agreement at a monthly rent of ₹15,000. Dodiya previously held a firecracker manufacturing license, but it expired on 4 March 2026 and was never renewed.

Solanki argued in his bail plea that he was innocent, acted solely as a landlord, and had requested Dodiya to submit valid Collector permissions before commencing operations. Opposing the plea, Chief Public Prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt argued that Solanki, who had also acted as power of attorney to seek temporary non-agricultural (NA) conversion of the land, turned a blind eye to illegal explosive manufacturing on his property. Taking note of the ongoing investigation and the tragic loss of 11 innocent lives, the court refused to grant pre-arrest bail.