Dewas firecracker factory blast: High Court grants bail to two accused

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted bail to two accused in the case of the massive explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Dewas. The accident killed 12 workers and left 19 people seriously injured.

Justice Alok Awasthi allowed the appeals of the accused, Mukesh Vij and Anil Malviya. He set aside the district court order that had rejected bail for both. The two had been in jail since May 17, 2026.

The court said that being an owner, financier, manager or partner in a factory is not by itself enough to fix a person's criminal liability. The prosecution must prove what that person's individual role in the offence was and what criminal act he committed.

The explosion took place in Dewas district on May 14, 2026. The investigation found that the factory did not have adequate fire safety arrangements, that the conditions of the required NOC and licence were not being followed, and that explosive material beyond the permitted limit had been stored.

In the investigation, Mukesh Vij was alleged to have held financial control of the factory and to have been a partner in it. Anil Malviya was said to have been responsible for running the factory.

Arguing for the state, the prosecution said the financial transactions of the two accused and their roles in the factory showed knowledge of the incident and a common intention. The defence said no evidence had emerged of any specific criminal act by either of them that led to the deaths in the accident. It also said the chargesheet had been filed, so there was no justification for keeping them in custody any longer.

The High Court described the accident as serious and tragic. It said the incident could have been avoided had safety norms been followed. Even so, it said, it is not right to keep anyone in custody for a long time solely on the basis of the gravity of the allegations.

The court also made clear that the grant of bail does not mean permission to resume making or storing firecrackers.