Delhi Court issues notice to police in Sushil, Gopal Ansal appeal against jail verdict

Delhi's Patiala House Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Delhi Police after looking into the petition filed by the Ansal brothers against punishment for tampering with evidence in connection with the 1997 Uphaar fire incident.

New Delhi:Delhi's Patiala House Court issued a notice to the Delhi Police after having heard a plea filed by the Ansal brothers' against the punishment awarded for tampering with evidence in the 1997 Uphaar Cinema case. Additional Sessions Judge Anil Antil sought a response from Delhi Police on the appeal moved by Gopal Ansal, Sushil Ansal, and one PP Batra and fixed the matter for November 15, 2021.

During the hearing, the accused objected to the locus of Association of Victims of Upahaar Tragedy, (AVUT) which was opposed by Vikas Pahwa Senior Advocate. Court then directed the prosecutor to serve the copy of the appeal and application to the complainant AVUT also.

Earlier this month the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) urged a Delhi court to sentence the real estate tycoons Ansal brothers and others for tampering with evidence in the case.

Earlier, on November 8, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma had sentenced seven-year imprisonment to five accused, including Sushil and Gopal Ansal. The court had also imposed separate fines of Rs 2.25 crore on the duo.

Read:Uphaar Fire Tragedy: 7 years in jail for Ansal brothers for tampering with proof

However, the businessmen (Gopal and Sushil) and one other moved the Sessions Court against Magistrate Court's recent order convicting and sentencing them to seven years jail for tampering with evidence.

In the matter, the Court on October 8th convicted businessmen Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal along with their two employees among others in the case related to tampering with the crucial evidence in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case.

The Court had found all accused guilty under sections 409, 201, 120B of IPC and pronounced the order. Along with the Ansal brothers, a court staff Dinesh Chand Sharma and other individuals PP Batra, Har Swaroop Panwar, Anoop Singh, and Dharamvir Malhotra were booked in the case.

Out of seven accused, two accused Har Swaroop Panwar and Dharamvir Malhotra died during the course of the trial.

At least 59 people died of asphyxia and over 100 others were injured in the stampede after fire broke out in Uphaar cinema on June 13, 1997, during the screening of JP Dutta's film 'Border'.

Read:Uphaar Fire Tragedy: 4, including Ansal brothers, convicted for tampering with evidence