SC to hear petitioner challenging HC in Uphaar fire tragedy

New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) The Supreme Court will hear on October 12 a petition filed by Sushil Ansal, an accused in the Uphaar fire tragedy case, challenging the Delhi High Court orders dismissing his petition for permission to file additional written arguments in the case.

A bench comprising Justices H K Sema, Altamas Kabir and Lokeshwar Singh Panta today fixed the date of hearing, when the petition was mentioned before the Court for urgent hearing.

Fifty nine people were killed due to suffocation, when fire broke out at the Uphaar Cinema in Green Park on June 13, 1999. Fire safety measures and equipments were found to be non-functional.

The petitioner has contended that the orders of the Trial as well as the High Court are erroneous as the accused is entitled to file any evidence and arguments in his defence at any stage of the trial till the final judgement is delivered.

In the present case, the final judgement has not come yet. Only the arguments have been concluded and the orders have been reserved by the trial court. Hence the reservation of the judgement does not debar the petitioner from leading further evidence or filing additional arguments.

The trial court has fixed October 20 as the date for delivery of the judgement.

UNI