Three writs were filed by eight Korean nationals in the Andhra Pradesh High Court who had arrived in India on May 13, 2020, to look into the cause of the accident in the LG Polymers factory at Vizag.
The matters came up for hearing on Monday and it was argued by the petitioners that they do not belong to LG India and that they are employees of the parent company in Korea. It was further argued that the police had issued a notice asking the petitioners to be present for enquiries.
The petitioners also stated that they were not being allowed to leave the country by the police. However, the Advocate General (AG) arguing for the state stated that the Petitioners were never stopped from leaving by the police.
The police had issued the notice as the delegation was on a mission to find the facts behind the gas leak and accident and hence their inputs would be crucial for the investigation of the police. It was further stated that the police had finished their enquiry and had also taken statements of the petitioners under 161 CrPC and that the Petitioners should be present before the police if it is required in the future to corroborate some evidence.
The AG further submitted to the court that the petitioners be required to file affidavits stating that they would be willing to come to India and present themselves before the police if it is required during the course of the investigation or thereafter.
The High Court observed that in case the petitioners do not appear before the police when asked by them to do so, the Government May approach the High Court by way of an affidavit and the needful will be done. The High Court, however, reserved the matter for orders.
Styrene gas, which leaked from the gas plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district on May 7, had claimed over 10 lives and had left several people ill.
( With inputs from ANI )