New Delhi, July 28: The Delhi High Court today turned down a plea of the city police for not releasing the Rs 2.14 crore deposited by it as compensation to the Uphaar fire tragedy victims. DCP licencing G C Dwivedi had requested the court not to release its share of the compensation money as Delhi Police wanted to challenge in the Supreme Court the April 24 order of the high court awarding compensation to the victims of the tragedy that had claimed 59 lives during screening of the Hindi blockbuster "Border" in June 1997 here.
A division bench of Justice S K Mahajan and Justice Mukul Mudgal dismissed Dwivedi's petition on the ground that he had failed to approach the Supreme Court even after the expiry of over three months since passing of the high court order. On June 23, MCD, DVB and licensing authority of Delhi Police, who were held responsible along with Uphaar cinema owners for lapses leading to the tragedy, had deposited cheques totalling to about Rs seven crore as compensation for victims of the fire tragedy.
While DVB's share of Rs 2,45,44,650 was paid by its successor company BSES, the DCP licencing deposited a cheque of Rs 2.14 crore. The MCD too deposited a cheque of over Rs 2.26 crore on the last day of the two-month time given to them to pay the compensation money. The Ansals, who were ordered to shell out 55 per cent of over Rs 17 crore compensation awarded to the victims, are yet to deposit their share. They have moved the court seeking permission to sell off the cinema hall to meet their liability arising out of the verdict. Bureau Report