Sushil Ansal hid facts to renew his passport, police tell court

3 criminal cases, including the Uphaar fire, were pending against him at the time

The Delhi Police told a court here that Sushil Ansal — convicted in the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire incident that killed 59 people — played a fraud on authorities by concealing information about criminal cases pending against him while getting his passport renewed. “From the investigation, it is clear that Sushil Ansal had deliberately concealed the information regarding criminal proceedings pending against the applicant in any court of law or that she/ he has not been convicted by any court of law for any criminal offence in the past,” the police said in its chargesheet. It also said Mr. Ansal was issued a passport in 2013 on a “tatkaal” application. The affidavit under the “tatkaal” scheme required specific deposition by the applicant to the effect that there were no criminal proceedings pending against the applicant in any court of law or that she/ he has not been convicted by any court of law for any criminal offence in past.