PIL in Delhi HC seeks judicial inquiry, CBI probe into Delhi Anaj Mandi fire

A petition was filed in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking judicial enquiry and CBI probe into a massive fire in the Anaj Mandi area of the national capital, which had claimed the lives of 43 people and left several injured.

A massive blaze ripped through a four-storey building housing illegal manufacturing units in Anaj Mandi area on December 8.

The petition filed by advocate Awadh Kaushik demanded strict guidelines to be framed to ensure that such incidents do not take place in future.

Kaushik sought judicial enquiry by a retired Delhi High Court judge or investigation by the CBI or any other central investigating agency into the matter to bring the culprits to justice.

"The delinquency, felony and laxity on the part of the authorities concerned is nothing but a criminal offence having been committed by them with common mindset," the plea stated.

The plea further added, "It has been reported that not only was the building illegally constructed but even the manufacturing factory of plastic packing materials was being run therein illegally and without any registration, license, authority, certificate and even fire safety arrangements."

The matter will be heard today by a division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Harishankar.