Kolkata, Oct 29 (IANS): Ruia Group Chairman and Jessop owner Pawan Kumar Ruia on Friday yet again did not show up before the CID officials of West Bengal Police who are probing repeated incidents of fire at the company's factory near here.

Ruia has informed the CID sleuths that he was now "away from the state on a business trip" and hence needed two weeks time before he could present himself before them.

The CID is likely to grant his wish but would dispatch a fresh notice if he did not turn up after two weeks.

"We will serve a third notice on his. If he still plays truant, we have to move court and pray for an arrest warrant against him," said a CID officer.

The CID had earlier summoned Ruia to appear at its headquarters on Wednesday for the probe ordered by the state government. But the businessman did not show up.

The CID has already arrested 16 persons for allegedly intruding into the Jessop factory premises in Dum Dum and stealing factory equipment since taking up the case almost two weeks ago.

Company CEO Ashok Agarwal has been taken into custody by Dum Dum police on the charge of unauthorised removal of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) dues.

The West Bengal government ordered a CID probe after repeated incidents of fire over the past one month in the Jessop factory earlier this month. An FIR was then lodged by the police against Ruia.

Ruia had moved the Calcutta High Court seeking quashing of the FIR, but Justice Samapti Chatterjee refused to do so.

However, she also directed police not to take any coercive steps against him.