Prosecute Ansals for tampering with evidence in Uphaar case:HC

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Thursday
allowed criminal prosecution of Ansal brothers for allegedly
tampering with evidence in Uphaar fire tragedy case in which
59 cine goers were killed and several others injured 12 years
ago.

Justice S Murlidhar dismissed the plea of Gopal and
Sushil Ansal alongwith two others challenging the trial court
order which had summoned them to appear before it in the case.

The court also imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on them.

In this case, Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal on
January 31, 2003, had ordered an inquiry after some documents
related to Uphaar case went missing from court record room.

After the inquiry, one court staff was dismissed by the
district judge for tampering with the court records on June
25, 2004.

The Delhi High Court had ordered the police to register a
case in this regard on May 5, 2006 and ordered it to complete
the investigations within three months. The police launched an
FIR on May 17 and arrested the court staff Dinesh Chandra
Sharma.

It later filed chargesheet in the court in which Ansal
brothers alongwith two others were made accused. Additional
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had issued summon to all the
accused on February 15, 2008 after which Ansal brothers had
approached the Delhi High Court which stayed the trial court
proceedings on April 30, 2008.

At least 59 people died of asphyxia following a fire
caused by sparking in a transformer installed in the basement
of the cinema hall on June 13, 1999. PTI