New Delhi, April 17 (Inditop) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday gave a clean chit to former Delhi Police officer Amod Kanth, who has been accused of allowing more seats than legally permissible at the Uphaar cinema theatre which caught fire in 1997, claiming 59 lives.

The move comes as a setback to the Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT). AVUT had sought the prosecution of Kanth, who was then deputy commissioner of police (licensing), and other officers concerned for alleged negligence by violating the Cinematography Act.

Filing its investigation report in a city court, the CBI said no criminal acts were found against any of the officials of any department other than the 16 people chargesheeted by it in the Uphaar fire tragedy case.

District and Sessions Judge I.K. Kochhar, after perusing the report, fixed the matter for consideration for May 13.