Judge to visit Uphaar fire site on Aug 19

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) Tis Hazari Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Mamta Sehgal, hearing the Uphaar cinema fire case, will visit the scene of the tragedy on August 19.

After the site visit, the court would hear final arguments in the matter before pronouncing its order.

The defence closed its evidence today. Prosecution had already presented its evidence.

The case was earlier being heard at the Patiala House Courts before it was moved to Tis Hazari Courts with the transfer of the judge hearing it.

The Court had framed charges against 16 accused, including proprietors of Ansals properties Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal, for their alleged involvement in the Uphaar fire tragedy on June 13, 1997 which left 59 dead and more than 100 injured.

The other accused in the case include PWD engineer S N Dandona, cinema hall director R M Puri, cinema hall managers K L Malhotra, R K Sharma, N S Chopra and Ajit Chaudhary, DVB officials A K Gera, B M Satija and Beer Singh, MCD officials N D Tiwari and Shyam Sunder Sharma, Delhi Fire Service officials H S Panwar and Surinder Dutt, besides balcony usher Manmohan Unniyal.

On June 13, 1997 the Uphaar cinema inferno had left 59 people dead and more than 100 injured in the theatre during the screening of Hindi film 'Border'.

The Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) had alleged that the management of the Uphaar Cinema had installed some extra seats in the hall which blocked the exit.

Prosecution witness Kanwal Bhalla in her statement before the court had also alleged that the doors were blocked so the viewers could not get out immediately after the fire broke out in the hall.

Sushil Ansal has been charged under section 337, 338 of the IPC and Section 14 of the Cinematograph Act.

Gopal Ansal, S N Dandona, N D Tiwari (MCD), Shyam Sunder Sharma (MCD), H S Panwar (Delhi Fire Service) and Surendra Dutt (DFS) all face charges similar to that of Mr Sushil Ansal.

Director of the cinema hall R M Puri, Manager K L Malhotra, Radha Krishen Sharma, N S Chopra, Ajit Chaudhary and Manmohan Unniyal have all been charged by the CBI under sections 304, 337, 338 of IPC and Section 14 of the Cinematography Act.

Brij Mohan Satija, A K Gera and Bir Singh all officials of the Delhi Vidyut Board have been charged under section 304, 337 and 338 UNI XC PR GC1956