NCLAT suspends hearings for the day as fire erupts in building

New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) The Country's highest corporate appellate tribunal, the NCLAT, suspended Wednesday's proceedings due to a fire incident at its building in Delhi.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal said on its website: "Due to a fire incident at Pt. Deen Dayal Antyodaya Bhawan today morning, the Court proceedings of NCLAT shall remain suspended for today."

The NCLAT was formed for hearing appeals against the orders of National Company Law Tribunal(s) (NCLT). On Wednesday, the Appellate Tribubnal was scheduled to hear some important matters, including cases pertaining to Jyoti structures, Dishnet Wireless, Monnet Ispat and Liberty House.

It is not clear if the fire damaged important files kept in the tribunal office. Officials said the damage assessment would take time as premises would have to be first inspected thoroughly. But they said damage would be limited as the fire broke out on the fifth floor.

The NCLAT office is located on the third floor of the Pt. Deen Dayal Antyodaya Bhawan in CGO Complex. The building houses other important government agencies, including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) on its second floor.

On Wednesday, entry to the Bhawan was closed till further notice and the electricity supply was cut after a fire gutted the fifth floor office of the Disability Division of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

"Employees and other people working here were asked to vacate the building. All the official meetings have been cancelled," a CICF official told IANS.

There is no information when the work will resume, he added.

The fire that broke out around 8.30 a.m on Wednesday was brought under control by around 10.05 a.m.