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HC says judges threatened by Uphaar case accused

In a startling revelation, a division bench of the Delhi high court on Wednesday said certain judges had been threatened by some "influential accused" in the case relating to the Uphaar cinema hall fire tragedy, which claimed 59 lives in 1996.

The threat was made asking them to transfer a petition pending before them within two weeks, a bench comprising Justice Usha Mehra and Justice K Ramamoorthy said, and sought an explanation from counsel for Sushil Ansal, proprietor of Uphaar theatre, about the purpose of writing such a letter.

When Ansal's lawyer R K Naseem expressed ignorance about it, the bench said, "They cannot browbeat the court by trying to write such a letter." The bench, however, did not elaborate who had written the letter.

"They [the accused] have threatened the court that you transfer the case within two weeks," Justice Mehra said, adding, "I am constrained to see against whom I should take contempt of court action" for writing such a letter.

"This court cannot be cowed down. Nothing can be achieved in my court by such a threatening letter even if they approach the Chief Justice of India," Justice Mehra said.

The court was hearing a writ by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy seeking an expeditious trial in the case. AVUT alleged that the accused were trying every trick to delay the proceedings in the trial court.

Following the writ, the bench had in August 2000 directed the trial court to complete arguments on framing of charges within two months. But the bench later gave the trial court an extension.

PTI

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