Uphaar case: Delhi court exempts hurt ex-IPS officer Kanth from personal appearance

NEW DELHI - Former police officer Amod Kanth’s plea to be exempted from making a personal appearance in court in connection with his role in the Uphaar fire tragedy case because of a broken ankle, was accepted by a magistrate’s court here on Friday.

“The accused is exempted from his personal appearance before this court. He is directed to appear on September 30,” Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjeev Kumar said.

Kanth was to appear before the court as an accused after the latter rejected a Central Bureau of Investigation report that gave the former a clean chit in the case.

Kanth had moved an application for exemption through his lawyer R S Malik.

“The accused had a fracture in his left ankle on June 16 this year…and has been advised complete bed rest,” the defence lawyer said, adding that he be given four weeks time to recover and appear before the court.

The case relates to the deaths of 50 people, including children in a fire that engulfed the cinema building on June 13, 1997.

Kanth is said to have given permission to the management of the cinema hall to allow extra seats.

Kanth is to be prosecuted under Section 304A (causing death by rash and negligent act), 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life) and Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act which endangers human life) of the Indian Penal Code. (ANI)