Uphaar fire: Hearing on Kanth on Nov 30

A Delhi court Saturday fixed Nov 30 for hearing arguments on framing of charges against former Indian Police Service officer Amod Kanth, accused in the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire tragedy which left 59 cine-goers dead.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Lokesh Kumar Sharma posted the matter for Nov 30 after Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) informed him that the Delhi High Court had dismissed Kanth's plea against the 2010 trial court order summoning him.

The high court dismissed the former police officer's plea Oct 3, said AVUT.

The trial court summoned Kanth Aug 12, 2010 on the plea of the family members of the victims.

He was summoned after the victims' kin alleged that he allowed extra seats in the cinema hall in south Delhi while serving in the licensing department of Delhi Police.

The trial court rejected the closure report of the Central Bureau of Investigation and issued summons against Kanth.

It said there was sufficient material to prosecute Kanth under penal provisions dealing with causing death by rash and negligent act and causing hurt by an act which endangers human life.