New Delhi, Mar 28 (IANS): A court ordered businessman Sushil Ansal to remain present in the courtroom for the remaining working hours of Thursday as he was late in attending proceedings in a case of alleged tampering of evidence in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Deepak Sherawat observed that Ansal was late in attending the case against him and asked him to remain present in the courtroom till the rising of the court.

However, the court allowed him to go after four hours.

The court's direction came two days after it issued non-bailable warrants against him and Gopal Ansal after he failed to appear before it.

Later, Sushil and Gopal Ansal moved an application seeking cancellation of the non-bailable warrants. The court said it will hear the plea on Saturday.

The court was hearing a case of tampering against seven accused including the Ansal brothers.

On June 13, 1997, when the Hindi film "Border" was being screened, a fire engulfed the theatre, killing 59 people and injuring over 100.

The fire was sparked by a blast in a transformer in an underground parking lot in the five-storey building which housed the cinema hall and several offices.

A court on January 31, 2003 ordered an inquiry after some documents related to the Uphaar case went missing from the court record room. After an inquiry, the judge dismissed a court employee.