E-Paper
Anaj Mandi fire accused sent to 14-day judicial custody
New Delhi
New Delhi
A Delhi court has sent to 14-day judicial custody the property owner, his brother-in-law, and the co-owner and manager of the four-storey building at north Delhi’s Anaj Mandi where 43 people were charred to death in a massive blaze on December 8.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Arul Verma sent Rehan, Suhail and Furkan to judicial custody till January 4 next year, after police did not seek their custodial interrogation in the case.
The city police had arrested the trio and booked them for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence in connection with the fire. The crime branch later took over investigation of the case.
The police had told the court that the initial investigation revealed there were other accused people and their custodial interrogation was required to identify and ascertain their role. They said factories operated at the property without clearance from authorities.
Police had said there were three owners of the building and they sublet the property to different people whose role would be investigated.
“It is a sensitive case. Most of the deceased were from faraway places. The names and addresses of all the deceased have not been identified yet. It is a lengthy process. Rehan and Furkan are childhood friends and they are doing business together since 2003,” police told the court.
Opposing the remand, the counsel for the accused said they had all requisite documents, which had been given to the police.
43 persons, including a minor, died while 16 others were injured in the fire at the five-storey building on Rani Jhansi Road.
