KARACHI, Nov 21: A sessions court granted on Wednesday interim bail to the managing director of SITE in the Baldia Town garment factory inferno case.

Abdul Rasheed Solangi appeared before the trial court and moved a pre-arrest bail application.

The additional district and sessions judge (west), Abdullah Channa, granted pre-arrest interim bail against the surety bond of Rs500,000 for a week.

The SITE MD had moved the Sindh High Court on Nov 16 which granted him protective bail and directed him to appear before the trial court.

Although the police cited negligence on the part of SITE, labour, civil defence and other departments concerned as one of the reasons for the tragedy in the interim charge-sheet, it did not accuse officials of these departments in the final charge-sheet.

However, a judicial magistrate declared SITE managing director Abdul Rasheed Solangi, director of labour department Gulzar Zahid, additional controller of civil defence Ghulam Akbar and chief inspector electrical Amjad Ali the accused on Nov 14 for their alleged negligence in the case and issued their warrants for Nov 27.

The owner of the industrial unit, Abdul Aziz Bhaila, who is on bail, and his detained sons Arshad Bhaila and Shahid Bhaila, general manager Mansoor and three gatekeepers have been charge-sheeted.

According to the prosecution, a devastating fire engulfed the multi-storey garment factory building in Baldia Town on the evening of Sept 11 within the remit of the Site-B police station, leaving over 250 workers dead.

A case (FIR No.343/12) was registered against the factory owners and others under Sections 302, 322, 435, 436, 337 and 34 of the penal code at the Site-B police station.