Mundka fire tragedy: Delhi Congress demands probe by retired HC judge

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The Delhi Congress has demanded a probe by a retired high court judge into the Mundka fire tragedy that claimed 27 lives on May 13.

Blaming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the city for alleged negligence, Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar claimed on Wednesday that the building at Mundka where the fire broke out did not have a fire clearance certificate, "yet it was functioning as a shopping complex".

He also alleged that "high corruption" in the Delhi government was responsible for the operation of the "illegal" building.

The Delhi government's decision to conduct a probe into the incident by a district magistrate was intended to cover up its lapses as the question arises that how such an illegal building, without fire safety clearance, was allowed to operate in a crowded area, Kumar said in a statement.

He alleged that the terms and conditions given to the district magistrate for holding the probe were intended to "save BJP and Aam Aadmi Party politicians, mayor, councillors and ministers from any blame as there was high corruption behind the functioning of this illegal building".

"A retired high court judge will hold an impartial enquiry, covering angles such as how a liquor vend was allowed to operate in this illegal building, how this liquor vend, which was sealed, was de-sealed by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation," Kumar said.

The Delhi Congress also raised a question over "how power and water connections were given to this illegal building".

"Why central government's National Disaster Response Force reached fire accident site hours late?" Kumar asked.

The NDMC has suspended three officials in the Narela zone for alleged laxity in duty following the massive fire at Mundka.

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