High court summons investigation records

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has summoned the probe records of the PG fire incident in Sector 32, Chandigarh, which led to the death of three girls.

The incident had taken place in February this year when a fire tore through the illegal paying guest (PG) accommodation, owned by Gaurav Aneja, who had further rented it to Nitish Bansal and Nitish Popli, who ran the PG. As per information, the duo had started the business in August 2018, allegedly without registration with the UT estate office.

The record was summoned by the bench of justice Karamjit Singh, acting on the bail plea of Aneja, who is behind bars since the incident was reported.

Aneja had argued that being the owner of the premises in question, he is not liable for prosecution as he had only rented out the place.

“This bail application cannot be disposed of in the absence of the entire police record. Accordingly, the state is directed to produce the entire police record of this case on the next date of hearing,” the bench said, posting the matter for September 2. The bail plea had been filed on July 3.

Bansal, Popli and house owner Gaurav Aneja were booked under Sections 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code in February in view of the widespread public outrage over the incident.