'No presumption of innocence for Ansals in Uphaar fire case'

New Delhi: Delhi Police contended before the Delhi High Court on Friday that there was no presumption of innocence in favour of real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal after their conviction in the Uphaar cinema evidence tampering case and their seven-year jail term should not be suspended.

Special public prosecutor (SPP) Dayan Krishnan told Justice Subramonium Prasad that the mutilation of "vital documents" forced the prosecution to record the secondary evidence in the case which resulted in an enormous delay of trial court proceedings.

He said the Ansals, who hatched a conspiracy with other co-accused to "secure advantage" in the trial in the main Uphaar Cinema fire case by tampering with evidence, are still taking the benefit of the delay as they are now seeking suspension of sentence on account of their old age.

The Ansals had filed petitions before the high court for suspension of their seven-year jail terms in the evidence tampering case after a sessions court here, in December, rejected their plea to suspend the conviction by a magisterial court and refused to release them on bail.