The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has exonerated former Delhi Police officer Amod K Kanth of conniving with Uphaar Theatre owners to retain 37 extra seats,denying trapped cine-goers a clear exit from a fire that left 59 people dead on June 13,1997. Kanth,Deputy Commissioner of Police (Licensing) in 1979,was accused of turning a blind eye to a Lieutenant Governors ban against installing additional seats in cinema halls a decision that allegedly became instrumental for the death toll in the Uphaar fire tragedy 18 years later. In the investigation report filed on Friday before District and Sessions Judge I K Kochhar,the CBI stated that it had failed to find any evidence to prove misconduct on the part of Kanth and other government officials under its scrutiny. Judge Kochhar posted the case for consideration of the report on May 13. On November 28,2007,the trial court had directed CBI to investigate Kanths role. The Delhi High Court,on December 12 last year,while reducing by half the two year jail term of Ansal brothers,had given CBI time till March 15 this year to file its investigation report against Kanth and other officials. The Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) had also sought prosecution of Kanth and other officers concerned for their negligent acts. Due duty was not discharged even by DCP (Licensing), the then trial court had observed,awarding varying jail terms to the Ansal brothers (owners of the theatre) and other accused persons.
