HC orders enquiry into officers issuing passport to Sushil Ansal despite Uphaar tragedy

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered an enquiry by the Ministry of External Affairs against passport officers who repeatedly issued passport to Sushil Ansal despite his involvement in the case pertaining to 1997 Uphaar cinema fire which killed 59 people.

Justice Najmi Waziri asked what was so special in this case that the officers issued passport to Ansal when the entire world knew about the Uphaar tragedy and the real estate baron's involvement in the case.

The court noted that Ansal was issued a passport even after his conviction by a trial court in the case in 2007.

The court was informed by senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) chairperson Neelam Krishnamoorthy, that Ansal deliberately made false declarations and suppressed material facts about his conviction while applying for additional booklets of passport.

As per the rules, the passport application for new/ re-issue/ replacement of lost/ damaged passport issued by the MEA mandates the applicant to disclose whether he is involved in a criminal case or not and to produce the NOC from the concerned court in case they are involved in any criminal prosecution.

The court said the matter be enquired by an officer of not less than the rank of joint secretary in MEA and initial report be submitted in court before the next date, November 15. The enquiry is to be completed in four weeks.

"The court wants to know how passport was issued in 2000, 2004 and 2013 when the world knew in some way or the other about the Uphaar tragedy and that respondent 4 (Sushil Ansal) was involved in it," the judge said. The court said it was of the view that the matter be enquired into by the MEA against passport officials who issued the passport.

It noted that early this year, Ansal made an application before the passport authorities declaring his conviction in one case and pendency of two other criminal cases against him.

He claimed that erroneously this information could not be given earlier and apologised after which he was penalised with a fine amount by the authorities, it noted.

The court, however, said it could not have been allowed.

"What was so special in this case that the officer issued passport to him. Just see the number of deaths caused, gravity of the offence committed. Are these issues considered by the passport officers or not," the court said.