The Supreme Court has sought an affidavit from the Uttar Pradesh government on the action taken against the driver and registered owner of the sleeper bus whose fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida killed nine passengers last month, including whether those responsible have been arrested and whether the bus met all safety and regulatory requirements.
The court, in its order released on Thursday, directed that all necessary information be furnished by affidavit by the next date of hearing. A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan also sought details on the bus’s compliance with rules before it was put on the road, as well as its permit, fitness, insurance and safety requirements. The court directed the UP chief secretary, the Centre and the secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to respond. It also specifically asked whether the registered owner had complied with all rules and regulations before putting the double-decker bus on the road. It has also sought details of the working condition of emergency exits and safety devices, the challan and violation history of the vehicle, operator and driver, the response time of police, fire, ambulance and expressway authorities, and action taken against those responsible. An FIR based on a passenger’s complaint alleged that the driver and conductor failed to stop despite warnings. Those allegations are part of the investigation. Two bus drivers and a conductor were later arrested. The incident also raised questions about the vehicle’s regulatory history.
Records further showed multiple traffic fines amounting to about ₹ 1.75 lakh.
The bench, taking up the application after the September 23/24 incident in which nine passengers were charred to death inside the bus, said it wanted to know what steps had been taken against the driver as well as the registered owner and “whether they have been arrested so far”. Police and survivors said some passengers had noticed a burning smell coming from the driver’s cabin shortly before the fire. Police said that the bus was registered in Bihar, while its owner was from Madhya Pradesh; its fitness certificate had been issued in Rajasthan and its pollution certificate in Haryana.
The application before the Supreme Court sought a detailed report from the UP chief secretary covering the cause of the fire, ownership and registration of the bus, its permit, fitness and insurance, authorised passenger capacity, compliance with construction and fire-safety requirements and any unauthorised alterations.
