HC dissatisfied over police report in Malviya Nagar fire incident

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The Delhi High Court yesterday expressed dissatisfaction over reports filed by the Delhi Police in a case relating to a major fire at a rubber godown in South Delhi in May this year. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said the status report and enquiry report filed the Delhi Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police (South district) have not given the details of the FIR lodged in the incident and the "proposed accused".

The bench said the reports only point out that statements of several persons were recorded by the police. It said the reports do not indicate whether any FIR was lodged, the sections invoked, offence and details of the accused. "Except for recording statements of certain persons, no details have been given by Delhi Police regarding FIR and the provisions invoked. We are not satisfied," the bench said. When the court was informed that an FIR has been registered in the incident, the bench directed the police to bring on record the details of the FIR nd listed the matter for further hearing on September 28. The court had earlier taken cognisance, on its own, of news reports of the fire in a rubber godown in South Delhi's Malviya Nagar on May 29. The fire started in a truck loaded with inflammable rubber sheets and spread to the godown in the congested locality.

The massive fire was controlled after 20 hours when up to 90 fire tenders were pressed into action along with a helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 8,000 litres of water was used to douse it of. Regarding reimbursement of the expenses incurred by the IAF for using its helicopter to douse of the fire, the court said this aspect will be considered after completion of pleadings in the matter.

The high court had earlier said imperiling human life due to extreme congestion and pollution, generation of hazardous affluence and extreme pressure on fire services and police cannot be tolerated. The court had issued show cause notices to South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police and owner of the property where the fire incident happened. It directed the Delhi Police commissioner to call for an inquiry and place complete information about the property owner, occupiers, dates of its construction and when commercial use commenced and whether it has a sanctioned plan.

The bench also directed the chief fire officer, Delhi Police and Indian Air Force to place before it the details of expenditure in facilitating the operation of extinguishing the fire. The fire was brought under control on May 30 with the help of the IAF, which conducted a 'Bambi Bucket' operation. It was the first time that a Bambi Bucket operation was carried out by the Air Force in an urban setting, the IAF had said in a statement. The police has arrested Sanjay Saini, owner of the godown. It was found that he was storing inflammable materials without proper permission from the MCD and there were no fire safety measures in place at the godown, police had said.

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