Pune: Police in Maharashtra have dropped the sole non-bailable charge against Schaeffler India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Harsha Gopal Kadam, and the Bombay High Court on Friday (October 23) stayed all further investigation against him in connection with a fatal gas leak at the company's Talegaon manufacturing facility, Autocar Professional and the company's regulatory disclosure reported.

Source: Autocar Professional

Kadam had been taken into police custody earlier this week under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, over the June 9 carbon dioxide leak at the Talegaon plant, which resulted in two fatalities and four injuries. The Talegaon MIDC Police Station, under the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate, suo moto dropped the Section 105 charge — the only non-bailable offence alleged against him — and Kadam was released on a bail bond on October 22 under an order of the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Vadgaon Maval, Pune.

Source: Kalkine (company disclosure)

High Court stay on the probe

In an interim order dated October 23, the Bombay High Court stayed further investigation against Kadam and directed the authorities not to file any charge sheet or supplementary charge sheet against him pending further orders, in a criminal application in which he has sought quashing of the police investigation. The company said a copy of the interim order was still awaited, according to its disclosure reported by ScanX.

Source: ScanX

Kadam had been taken into custody in his capacity as the designated legal occupier of the factory under the Factories Act, following allegations of safety oversights during maintenance operations. Those allegations have not been proved, the investigation against other aspects of the case is a separate matter, and the quashing application remains pending before the High Court — the interim stay is not a final decision on the case.