Uphaar Tragedy: Ansal brothers fined Rs 60 crores

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Ansal brothers got a respite from being sent to jail when the Supreme Court gave its verdict charging them with Rs 60 crores. The Ansal brothers- Gopal and Sushil, were found guilty in the Uphaar Cinema Fire Tragedy of 1997. The amount has to be paid in next three months. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 10 lakhs on the concerned fire officer of the theater.

The Supreme Court said that the money would be given to the Delhi government, and it is to be decided later what is to be done with it. Gopal and Sushil were convicted in 2014. Each of the brothers will have to pay a fine of Rs. 30 crores to the Delhi government within three months, the three-judge bench of the apex court said.

Earlier during the hearing, the Court said that the case of the Uphaar fire tragedy can't be reopened and the hearing will remain focused on the sentencing of Ansal brothers.

Ansals' lawyer Ram Jethmalani had pleaded before the apex court to argue on facts relating to the brothers' conviction. The apex court bench, however, asked him to raise it in a review petition later.

On March 5, 2014, the apex court had upheld the conviction of Gopal and Sushil Ansal in 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case. The Supreme Court then transferred the case to a three-judge bench.

Earlier, the panel of judges had reduced the sentence from two years to one year whereas the victims and the families of the deceased had demanded that the Ansals be convicted under more severe sections.

59 people had died and 100 were injured when a big fire broke out at Uphaar cinema hall in South Delhi, while the film Border was being screened on the evening of June 13, 1997. The fire started in the parking lot, spread and catapulted all over the place and finally engulfed the cinema building- most people died in the subsequent stampede and also due to the asphyxia.