QNET, Vihaan, where fire accident occurred, escape charges
Hyderabad: The police have filed a chargesheet in the 2023 Swapnalok Complex fire mishap case, where six employees of QNET Vihaan call centre lost their lives, blaming the building management’s gross negligence and their failure to implement fire safety measures.
The chargesheet, 209 of 2025 in Crime No. 49 of 2023, filed by the city police, does not name either QNET or its Indian franchise Vihaan Direct Selling (India) Pvt Ltd, with for whom the employees worked.
The investigation confirmed that responsibility for safety compliance rested solely with the building authorities, not with commercial tenants such.
The chargesheet filed by the police reportedly names Pathan Azhar Ali Khan, son of Pathan Ahmed Ali Khan (30), as Accused No. 16 (A-16), a representative of QNET.
The investigation picked up pace after the Telangana High Court registered suo motu writ petition based on news items published in Deccan Chronicle on March 17, 18, and 19, 2023, with the headline, “6 Dead In Swapnalok Blaze” and ordered a thorough inquiry.
Commenting on the chargesheet, Gurupreet Singh Anand, joint secretary of the Financial Frauds Victims’ Welfare Association (FFVWA), asked how the names of the employers had not been mentioned in the chargesheet. "I urge the police to file a supplementary chargesheet after a thorough investigation," Gurupreet Singh said.
Following the chargesheet, Vihaan issued a statement saying it had faced significant negative media attention and was wrongfully implicated by various groups. “Despite the absence of conclusive evidence, some media outlets and individuals attempted to portray Vihaan as culpable, including unsubstantiated reports alleging that the victims were working in an 'illegal office' operated by Vihaan — claims now proven to be baseless,” it said.
In April 2024, the City Civil & Sessions Court of Bengaluru ahd issued an interim order restraining the Financial Fraud Victims Welfare Association from making unverified or defamatory statements against QNET, Vihaan said.
