Allahabad HC pulls up state govt for lapses in Lucknow hotel fire case

The Allahabad High Court pulled up the state government for alleged lapses in regulation of development and housing authorities, in connection with a PIL on a fire incident at a Lucknow hotel

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday pulled up the state government for alleged lapses in regulation of development and housing authorities, in connection with a PIL on a fire incident at a Lucknow hotel.

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court expressed dissatisfaction as the state's lawyer could not place proper replies to its queries in connection with the PIL.

The court had taken suo motu cognisance of the fire at the Levana Suites hotel in the posh Hazratganj area in the city earlier this month in which four guests were killed and several injured.

A bench of justices D K Upadhyay and Saurabh Srivastava was hearing the PIL. On a previous hearing, the bench had sought a detailed response from Lucknow Development Authority vice-chairman Indramani Tripathi and the chief fire officer.

When state government counsel Shailendra Singh submitted the fire officer's reply in the court, it expressed annoyance on the way the affidavit was prepared.

When the bench asked about this, the counsel demanded more time. At this, the court further asked why a detailed affidavit was not readied when the court had already granted the state adequate time earlier.

Expressing annoyance at the silence of the counsel, the bench fixed November 3 for the next hearing, and directed the state to come with an exhaustive affidavit.

At the time of the hearing, Additional Advocates General M M Pandey, V K Shahi and K P Tripathi were also present.