Uphaar cinema tragedy case: SC stays proceedings against Kanth

Kanth has challenged trial court order summoning him for allowing extra seats in Uphaar cinema hall where 59 people died

The Supreme Court today stayed the trial court proceedings against former IPS officer Amod Kanth in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case.

A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and A K Sikri also asked CBI to file its response to the petition of Kanth in the case.

Kanth has challenged the 2010 trial court order summoning him for allowing extra seats in Uphaar cinema hall where 59 movie-watchers died in a blaze in 1997.

He has moved the apex court against the order of the Delhi High Court which had refused to quash the summons issued to Kanth by a lower court in the case.

Advocates Amarendra Sharan and Somesh Jha, appearing for Kanth, said that the high court did not appreciate the plea that CBI failed to take sanction to prosecute him.

On a plea of Uphaar cinema victims, the trial judge had summoned Kanth on August 12, 2010.

The high court had dismissed his argument that he cannot be tried for allegedly allowing extra seats in Uphaar cinema as "sanction to prosecute" him was not procured.

The high court had said that the trial court can consider the Kanth's objection if raised by him during the trial.

The high court had also rejected Kanth's argument that the trial judge was wrong in rejecting CBI's closure report giving a clean chit to him.

While rejecting CBI's closure report, the trial judge had on August 12, 2010 summoned Kanth, saying, "The investigation report of CBI is hereby rejected. Let the summons be issued against Amod Kanth.