Uphaar case: Arguments on bail of sacked court staff inconclusive

New Delhi, Feb 24 (UNI) Arguments on the bail application of Dinesh Chand Sharma, a staff of the court for allegedly removing vital documents from the case file of Upahaar cinema tragedy in which 59 people lost their lives ten years ago, ended inconclusively in a city court today.

On February 22, while filing the chargesheet in the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate(ACMM) Kamini Lau, the police said during the investigation it was found that the charges against Sharma was allegedly involved in the removal of important documents from the record which was in his custody.

''The Uphaar Cinema tragedy case is very sensitive having international ramifications and disappearance and tampering of documents in such a case is a very serious matter,'' said the chargesheet.

The counsel for Sharma argued that the Supreme Court on February 15 has issued notice on the petition seeking to set aside the order of December 23, 2006 and January 4, 2007, in which bail granted to Sharma was dismissed by an Additional Sessions judge and the High Court.

The counsel further argued that Sharma can neither harm the witnesses nor tamper the evidence which stood collected by the investigating officer.

Dr Lau fixed March 9 to scrutinise the charges mentioned in the chargesheet against Sharma, who is in Tihar jail since his arrest on January 8.

''He has brought humiliation and bad name to the court staff, the services and justice delivery system,'' alleged the police while mentioning about the dismissed staff of the Patiala House district courts.

Sharma had removed some of the documents including cheques from the file which were giving ample proof that Ansal brothers were running the cinema, contrary to their arguments that the hall was managed by a board with the help of a management team.

Citing evidence the police alleged that Sharma, who had a Hutch mobile, was in constant contact with P P Batra, a stenographer in the legal cell of the Ansal Properties and Industries, between 2002 and 2005.

The Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), which is pursuing the case against the Ansals, had filed a petition in the High Court saying that Sharma had allegedly destroyed the documents at the behest of the Ansal brothers, the owners of the cinema.

Sharma was charged under the section 409 of the IPC for criminal breach of trust by a public servant.

The trial court had earlier 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.

UNI