Holding that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence, a Magistrate Court in Saidapet has acquitted all the six accused in the case relating to the 2007 New Year-Eve accident at Savera Hotel, which claimed three lives.
The accident occurred on December 31, 2007 following the crash of a stage erected on the swimming pool at the hotel in which hundreds of revellers partied to welcome the new year.
The stage crashed on the pool, leaving two injured and three youngsters killed. Those who died included an engineer from Uttar Pradesh, Sumit Agnihotri, and Anand and Ramya from the city.
Agnihotri died immediately after the incident whereas the other two succumbed to injuries later at a private hospital. Following a hue and cry and allegations that proper safety measures were not adopted at the hotel, the police arrested six persons, including the hotel licensee BVS Reddy, event manager Antony Michael and stage contractor-manager Narender Peer Singh. Cases were filed under stringent provisions of the IPC for causing death by negligence, causing hurt by act endangering life and causing grievous hurt.
On Tuesday, the 18th Magistrate court in Saidapet acquitted all the six accused in the case stating that the benefit of the doubt went to them as the prosecution failed to prove the charges comprehensively with strong evidence.