New Delhi, December 31
Gopal Ansal, one of the 12 convicts in the Uphaar cinema fire tragedy case, today approached the Delhi High Court challenging his conviction and sentence of two-year prison term by a trial court.
Appearing before a vacation Bench comprising Justices H R Malhotra and P K Bhasin, the counsel for Gopal sought the court’s permission to file the appeal which was granted.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on January 2, the day, a regular Bench is expected to take up a similar petition of his brother Sushil Ansal.
His younger brother Sushil, also sentenced to two years imprisonment, had already challenged the trial court’s order.
The court had on December 11 issued notices to the CBI and Association of Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) on Sushil’s petition.
A court here had on November 23 sentenced Sushil Ansal along with his brother Gopal -- the owners of Uphaar cinema hall -- to a two-year jail term for causing death by their negligent act. The Ansal brothers, however, have been granted bail in the case.
Seven others -- Radha Krishan Sharma, N.S. Chopra, Ajit Chowdhary (Uphaar managers), Manmohan Unniyal (cinema’s gatekeeper), Brij Mohan Satija, A K Gera and Bir Singh (all DVB officials) -- held guilty for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, were awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment.
As many as 59 people had died due to asphyxia while over 100 others were injured in a subsequent stampede following a devastating blaze at Uphaar Cinema on June 13, 1997.
— PTI
