SC sets up panel to investigate Meerut fire

The Supreme Court Thursday set up a one-member commission headed by Justice (retd.) S.B. Sinha to investigate the 2006 fire in a fair at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh that left 65 people dead.

An apex court bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice V. Gopalagowda asked Justice (retd.) Sinha to submit the report by Jan 31, 2015.

In the meantime, as an interim measure, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to give a compensation of Rs.5 lakh each to the families of the dead, Rs.2 lakh each to the those who suffered serious injuries and Rs.25,000 each to those who suffered minor injuries.

The court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to deposit the compensation amount with the district judge of Meerut.

Justice Sinha is a former Supreme Court judge.