THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, APRIL 18, 2026

Jindal Steel Chairman and Lok Sabha MP Naveen Jindal has come out in support of Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal following the tragic boiler blast at Vedanta’s power plant in Chhattisgarh, urging restraint and due process even as calls for accountability grow louder.

The April 14 explosion at the Vedanta Ltd facility in Sakti district has so far claimed 23 lives and left several workers injured. According to officials, the blast occurred in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine in Singhitarai village.

Amid mounting scrutiny, Chhattisgarh Police have registered an FIR invoking stringent IPC provisions, including charges related to causing death due to negligence. The FIR names Agarwal, along with plant officials, citing prima facie lapses.

Reacting to the development, Jindal expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives and called for comprehensive support to the affected families. “The tragedy in Chhattisgarh is deeply painful. Proper compensation, livelihood support for the families, and a thorough investigation are non-negotiable,” he said in a post on X.

However, he raised concerns over naming Agarwal in the FIR at an early stage of the probe. Emphasising the need for evidence-based accountability, Jindal said, “Naming Shri Anil Agarwal Ji before any investigation raises serious concerns. He is a self-made entrepreneur who built a global enterprise from humble beginnings and had no direct role in the plant’s operations.”

He further questioned whether similar standards are applied uniformly across sectors, pointing out that top leadership in public sector undertakings or railways is typically not named in FIRs following accidents. “The same standard must apply to the private sector as well,” he argued, adding that India’s vision of becoming a developed economy depends on sustained investor confidence.

In a separate appeal, Jindal urged industry bodies to speak up, warning that bypassing due process could erode trust in the system.

Calling on industry bodies like Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI and ASSOCHAM, Jindal urged them to take a principled stand on issues of fairness and accountability rather than remaining passive. “When investor confidence is threatened, silence is not neutrality — it is a failure to stand up for justice,” he said.