Wrap up Uphaar case by November 30: Delhi HC to trial court

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday fixed a deadline of November 30 for the trial court to pronounce its verdict in a case of alleged tampering of documents in the Uphaar fire tragedy case.
Justice Anu Malhotra also sought a status report on the progress in the trial by September 7 and directed the Delhi government and other parties in the case to cooperate in the trial to expedite disposal of the matter.

The court gave the direction on a plea filed by the Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) who sought a day-to-day trial in the case related to tampering of evidence in the main case. The association complained about the slow pace of proceedings, arguing this was leading to a delay in trial.

In January this year HC had sought a status report of the case relating to the Uphaar cinema fire tragedy after the victims’ association moved a plea for speedy trial. HC had earlier sought the number of witnesses being cross-examined in the case relating to the alleged tampering of documents during trial of the main case, which involved real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal.

The case relates to tampering of judicial file in the main Uphaar trial for which a seperate FIR was registered on court orders and one of the accused is a staffer.

“It is important to note, that even in the main Uphaar fire tragedy case, the entire trial was concluded within a period of 10 years with the intervention of this court. However, in the present case, which arises out of tampering with the original court records of the Uphaar fire tragedy case, despite 10 years from the date of registration of FIR, not a single prosecution witness has been able to complete their deposition,” said the plea by association president Neelam Krishnamoorthy.