The Delhi Police Crime Branch has registered a case against Sushil Ansal, a convict in the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire incident, for misleading the government and misrepresenting on oath while applying for passport, the police said on Friday.
Also, a probe has been launched to find the police officers who helped forge the document and getting the passport renewed, they said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Deo said a first information report has been registered in the matter under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Crime Branch police station.
Forged documents
“We will investigate how Ansal managed to get the passport and which police officers helped him get the passport renewed on forged documents,” said Mr. Deo.
The case was registered on Tuesday under Sections 420 (cheating), 171 (wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent), 181 (false statement on oath or affirmation to public servant), 192 (fabricating false evidence) and 197 (issuing or signing false certificate) of the IPC, and Section 12 of the Passport Act (knowingly allows another person to use a passport or travel document issued to him).
On December 24, 2018, Justice Najmi Waziri had ordered lodging of an FIR against police officers who in 2013 given a favourable verification report to Ansal despite his non-disclosure regarding his conviction in the Uphaar case, which led to the issuance of the travel document to him.
The High Court had rejected the argument made on behalf of Ansal that a citizen was not compelled under the Passports Act to give the information sought from him while applying for a travel document under the tatkal scheme.
A fire at Uphaar cinema during the screening of the film Border on June 13, 1997, had killed 59 people.