MHA: Lockdown rules misinterpreted, no legal action against CEOs if employee found COVID positive

New Delhi, Apr 23 () The Union government Thursday said no legal action will be taken against the CEO of a company nor a factory will be sealed in case an employee tests positive for COVID-19.

In a letter to the chief secretaries of all states and union territories, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said some apprehensions, based on wrong interpretation of the guidelines, have been raised in the media and by some companies having manufacturing facilities.

He listed the three wrong apprehensions as: (A) States may take legal action including imprisonment of CEO in case a COVID-19 positive employee is found in the factory.

(B) In such a situation, the premises of the factory would be sealed for 3 months.

(C) In case of non-compliance of precautionary measures, the factory may be closed down for two days and may be allowed to restart after full compliance.

"I would like to clarify that there is no such clause in the consolidated revised guidelines and therefore there is no basis for such misplaced apprehensions," Bhalla said in his letter. ACB TIRTIR