Mundka fire: Delhi HC directs trial court to expeditiously decide on accused's bail plea

New Delhi, March 14 The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the trial court to quickly decide the bail request of Manish Lakra, the owner of the Mundka building, where a fire in May last year resulted in the deaths of 27 people.

The trial court was directed by Judge Yogesh Khanna to decide on Lakra's default bail request in light of the decision made by the co-ordinate bench. Lakra's default bail request, meanwhile, is still pending and is scheduled to be heard on March 17.

The bench headed by Justice Amit Mahajan has granted default bail to co-accused Harish and Varun Goyal in the matter.

The sessions court rejected their request for default bail due to the charge sheet not being filed within 60 days. They had contested the order in the High Court.

The bench was informed by lawyer Pradeep Kumar Arya that the High Court had granted default bail to the two co-accused. The plea is still pending, though, in the sessions court.

The High Court on February 3, issued a notice to Delhi Police and directed them to file a reply.

Arya submitted that this is a case of Section 304 A (Death due to negligent act) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and despite this, Delhi Police have invoked Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

He argued and brought up the Union Carbide case, in which 1,000 people perished and the apex court had concluded that it was a case of Section 304 A of the IPC.

Earlier he had moved a revision petition challenging an order denial default to him by the trial court.

The petitioner had moved an application seeking bail over the non-filing of a charge sheet in the case. His plea was dismissed by the Magistrate Court on August 6, 2022.

This case pertains to a fire incident in the Mundaka area on May 13 in which 27 people were killed. An FIR was registered on May 14, 2022, under sections 308/304/120B/34 IPC, at Police Station, Mundka.

Lakra's wife Sunita Lakra and mother Sushila Lakra had been granted bail by the magistrate's court. After reviewing the charge sheet, the judge issued summons to them. Although they were listed as suspects in the charge sheet, they were not arrested durung the investigation.

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