Uphaar case: HC says no to stay proceedings against Sushil Ansal

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court refused to stay proceedings against Uphaar cinema owner Sushil Ansal for allegedly tampering with evidence in the fire tragedy case. "Let the response come from the respondent (city government) then we would provide protection if necessary," Justice G S Sistani said and issued notice to Economic Offence Wing of Delhi police to file its reply by May 22. Sushil Ansal had approached the High Court for quashing a trial court's February 15 order in which it had issued summons against him and his brother Gopal Ansal, besides four others, for allegedly tampering with evidence in the Uphaar fire tragedy case and directed them to appear before it on May 2. Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Ansal pleaded for exemption from personal appearance in the trial court. The Bench, however, refused to give any relief saying that at least he (Ansal) has to appear once before the trial court. Besides the Ansal brothers, the trial court had also directed four others -- P P Batra, Har Swaroop, Anoop Singh and Dharamvir Malhotra -- to appear before it on May 2. Following the trial court's order, a case was registered against them in a police station here for allegedly tampering with cheques, which they had issued as Directors of the cinema hall during the trial in the Uphaar tragedy case. Sushil and Gopal, now out on bail, along with 10 others were convicted by a trial court here on November 20 last year for their complicity in the Uphaar theatre fire case in which 59 cinegoers were killed on June 13, 1997.
24 Apr, 2008, 1951 hrs IST, PTI
THE ECONOMIC TIMES