New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today imposed a Rs 5,000 fine on a president of an association of victims of the 1997 Uphaar theatre fire tragedy for the non-appearance of her lawyer in a case during two past hearing dates.
Justice Indermeet Kaur slapped the fine on Uphaar Tragedy Victims president Neelam Krishnamoorthy, saying it had earlier in its order had made clear that no further adjournment will be granted on the next date.
“Rs 5,000 fine is imposed on her (Krishnamoorthy),” the court said, while asking her to deposit the amount in favour of the legal services authority.
The court was hearing a complaint related to threats allegedly made to her by real estate tycoons Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal and two of their employees.
The High Court in July 2007 had stayed the summons issued by a lower court against Sushil Ansal, Gopal Ansal and his employees Deepak Kathpalia and P S Sharma.
It had also issued notices to Krishnamoorthy and the state government seeking their reply as to why her complaint against Ansal brothers and their two employees should not be quashed.
The four had been issued summons by the lower court on a complaint by Krishnamoorthy, who was allegedly abused and threatened by the two employees of Ansal brothers in May 2007. Krishnamoorthy had alleged that the two employees of Ansal brothers had abused and threatened her at the behest of their employer.
She had alleged that her pictures were taken on May 10, 2007 when she was coming out of the courtroom of Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal, where trial against the Ansal brothers and others was on for their alleged culpability in the June 13, 1997 tragedy.
Krishnamoorthy had lost her two minor children in the fire in which 57 others were asphyxiated during the screening of Hindi blockbuster “Border”.
The court, in pursuance of the High Court's order to conclude the 10-year-old trial by August, is now hearing the final arguments on a day-to-day basis.
