Uphaar fire case verdict on November 20

New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) The judgement in ten-year-old Uphaar fire case is expected to be pronounced on November 20.

Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal had reserved the decision for September 5, after the final argument closed on August 21 and today fixed November 20 for the pronouncement of the judgement.

On June 13, 1997, 28 families in Delhi were struck by tragedy when a screening of the film Border was on at the theatre. As many as 59 lives were lost in the fire. Most of the deaths were caused by asphyxia. The Delhi police lodged an FIR at Hauz Khas police station and the investigation was later transferred to the Crime Branch and still later to the CBI.

The CBI had charged 16 people in its chargesheet including the Ansal brothers, Sushil and Gopal, who owned Uphaar theatre, cinema hall director RM Puri, Deputy General Manager KL Malhotra, Managers RK Sharma, Nirmal Singh Chopra and Ajit Chowdhury, and theatre gate keeper Manmohan.

Several public agency officials were also part of the chargesheet namely SN Dandona (PWD), Shyam Sunder Sharma and ND Tiwari (MCD), HS Pawar and Surendir Dutt (Delhi Fire Service), BM Satija, AK Gera and Bir Singh (Delhi Vidyut Board).

UNI