Uphaar Fire Tragedy: Delhi Court asks police to obtain sanctions to prosecute businessman Sushil Ansal
Jan 31, 2022
New Delhi [India], January 31 : Patiala House Court of Delhi on Monday directed Delhi Police to procure/obtain requisite sanctions from the concerned authority to prosecute businessman Sushil Ansal in alleged fraud in passport renewal.
Sushil Ansal along with his brother and several others are presently lodged in Tihar jail after sentencing and conviction by a court in another case related to the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire tragedy.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dr Pankaj Sharma, on Monday asked the Delhi Police's investigation officer to ensure the requisite sanctions from the concerned authority to prosecute businessman Sushil Ansal in alleged fraud in passport renewal matter and slated the matter for February 21, 2022.
The court said so after the investigation officer informed the court that the application seeking sanctions are pending before the concerned authority.
Delhi Police in its chargesheet earlier said that businessman Sushil Ansal had deliberately concealed the information regarding criminal proceedings pending against him and also his conviction in his declaration in a passport application form.
The Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet against Sushil Ansal under section 177 (furnishing false information) and 181 (False statement on oath) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12 of Passport Act.
In its chargesheet, police said that "from the investigation, it is clear that Sushil Ansal had deliberately concealed the information regarding criminal proceedings pending against the applicant in any Court of law or that she/he has not been convicted by any court of law for any criminal offence in past."
Police also submitted that during the course of an investigation, no evidence came on record against the then police officer who conducted the verification in 2013 of the passport of the accused as he carried out the verification as per laid down procedure.
The chargesheet was filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma, who listed the matter for further hearing on January 31, 2022.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against real estate baron Sushil Ansal for concealing facts when he has applied for a passport in 2013. The FIR was lodged under the direction of the Delhi High Court.
Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) Chairperson Neelam Krishnamoorthy had alleged that Ansal concealed or gave false information to the authorities for the renewal of his passport and Ansal obtained the passport through illegal means by suppressing the most material information --that he was facing criminal charges and had been convicted and sentenced for two years in the Uphaar fire tragedy.
