By IANS
New Delhi : Real estate tycoon brothers Sushil and Gopal Ansal Wednesday moved an application in a city court for restoration to them of their passports which were deposited in the court after their conviction in the decade-old Uphaar cinema fire tragedy here.
Ansal brothers, who were sentenced to two years’ jail term each for criminal negligence leading to the deaths of 59 people during the screening of a movie, moved an application before Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal, seeking their passports seized after their conviction Nov 23 last year.
Opposing the application, senior counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) S.K. Saxsena argued before the court that it has no jurisdiction over the issue of releasing the passports as the case was now pending before the high court.
“This court has no power or jurisdiction to allow such a plea as the case is now pending at the high court,” Saxena submitted, adding that the move lacked legality.
Prem Kumar, counsel for the Ansals, contended that since the Delhi High Court has not put any such conditions while granting bail to them nor are the passports part of court records, the documents be returned.
The judge posted the matter for hearing Jan 22.