Uphar Evidence tampering case: Delhi HC judge recuses from hearing after complainant's apprehension

New Delhi [India], November 3 (ANI): The Delhi High Court judge, Justice Amit Mahajan, has recused himself from hearing the appeals filed by Sushil Ansal, Gopal Ansal, and others in the Uphar evidence tampering case. The complainant had objected and requested the judge to recuse from the case.
Justice Amit Mahajan recused from the hearing of appeals after the complainant raised an objection and listed the matter before another bench, subject to the order of the judge in charge.
"Even though the objection raised is meritless and does not have any basis, to allay any fear that the complainant may have, in the interest of justice, subject to orders of the Judge In-Charge (Criminal Jurisdiction), list these matters before another Bench on 06.11.2025," Justice Amit Mahajan ordered on October 30.
An apprehension was raised by the complainant Neelam Krishnamurthy that since Justice Mahajan, at some stage, as a counsel, had represented M/s. Ansal Housing and Construction Ltd., whose promoter happens to be related to the accused persons in the present matter, may not get a fair hearing.

Senior counsels for the petitioners raised objections to such apprehension being raised by the complainant. They submitted that the hearing had already started and they had already addressed arguments on 29 October 2025; the bench noted.
The High Court is hearing appeals of Convicts, Delhi police and Association of Victims of Uphar Tragedy (AVUT).
Businessmen Gopal Ansal, Sushil Ansal and others had moved the Delhi High Court against the order of the Session Court.
Earlier, they moved the Sessions Court against the Magistrate Court order convicting and sentencing them to 7 years' jail for tampering with evidence in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) of Patiala House Court in November 2021 sentenced Sushil and Gopal Ansal to seven years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2.25 crore each for tampering with evidence.
However, the Principal and District judge in July 2022 had upheld their conviction. However, they reduced their 7-year imprisonment to the period they had already undergone, subject to payment of the fine imposed by the court.
The trial Court had earlier convicted businessmen Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal, along with their two employees, among others, in the case related to tampering with the crucial evidence in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case.
The court found all the accused guilty under sections 409, 201, and 120B of the IPC and pronounced the order.
Along with the Ansal brothers, a court staff member, Dinesh Chand Sharma, and other individuals, including PP Batra, Har Swaroop Panwar, Anoop Singh, and Dharamvir Malhotra, were booked in the tampering of evidence case.
Out of the seven accused, two, Har Swaroop Panwar and Dharamvir Malhotra, died during the course of the trial.
At least 59 people died of asphyxia and over 100 others were injured in the stampede after fire broke out in Uphaar cinema on June 13, 1997, during the screening of JP Dutta's film 'Border'. (ANI)