Schaeffler India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Harsha Gopal Kadam was taken into police custody on October 19 in connection with the deaths of two contract workers at the company’s Talegaon factory near Pune, as investigators widened the case to examine his statutory responsibility as the facility’s designated occupier.
According to a regulatory filing accessed by The Hindu BusinessLine, police took Kadam into custody at around 6.40 p.m. The action relates to a June 9 accident in which carbon dioxide gas was suddenly discharged during the scheduled replacement of a cylinder, killing two workers employed by an external service provider.
Schaeffler India said the investigation had been expanded to include Kadam in his capacity as the factory’s “occupier” under applicable law. The company has not disclosed the specific provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita invoked against him. It said its officers and managing director had cooperated with investigators and would continue to do so.
The designation of an occupier carries statutory responsibilities under the Factories Act, 1948. Section 2(n) defines the occupier as the person with ultimate control over the affairs of a factory, while Section 7A requires the occupier to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of workers. These obligations include safe operating systems, maintenance, training and supervision, including arrangements involving outside contractors.
However, being designated as the occupier does not by itself establish criminal negligence or liability. Investigators must determine whether the evidence supports charges under the applicable criminal law and whether statutory safety obligations were breached in relation to the accident.
The case places attention on how safety responsibility is assigned in large industrial facilities where permanent employees, contractors and specialised service providers work within the same operational system. The June incident involved workers employed by an external service provider, while the police inquiry is examining the responsibilities attached to the company’s control of the factory premises.
Schaeffler India is a Tier 1 automotive component supplier to companies including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Hyundai Motor India. It manufactures engine, transmission and chassis components for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and tractors. Its LuK, INA and FAG brands cover clutch systems, engine components and precision bearings, and its portfolio also includes electric and hybrid vehicle technologies.
The company said senior management remained in charge of day-to-day operations and that its business activities were continuing normally. Police are continuing the investigation into the accident and the role of the factory’s designated occupier.
