BJP MLA and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has demanded a judicial probe instead of a magisterial inquiry into the collapse of a multi-storied building here, the death toll in which rose to 12 on Thursday.
After visiting the accident spot, Mr. Shettar said considering the magnitude of this accident, the government should order a judicial probe by a High Court judge. Besides, the government should provide efficient officials and engineers to assist the judge in this probe, and howsoever influential the builders are, they should be arrested, he added.
According to Mr. Shettar, the government ordering a magisterial inquiry is an eyewash and an attempt to hush-up the case and shield the guilty. He said over 24 hours had elapsed since an FIR was registered, but no arrests have been made. This leads to the suspicion that attempts were being made to protect the guilty, he alleged, and added that it was only through a judicial probe the reason behind this disaster could be ascertained and the guilty punished.
