Front Page   

Two-year RI for Ansal brothers

— Photo: R. V. Moorthy

Sushil Ansal (second from right) after the judgment in the Uphaar case at the Patiala House Court, in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: A sessions court here on Friday sentenced cinema owners Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal to two-year rigorous imprisonment, the maximum term for causing death due to negligence, in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case.

While three other convicts, guilty of negligence, were handed out identical sentences, seven other accused were sentenced to seven-year RI for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs. 5,000 each and two-year RI on all the 12 accused, as they were found guilty of endangering the personal safety of others. Both sentences will run concurrently. The court fined the Ansals Rs.1,000 each for violating Section 14 of the Cinematography Act.

It directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to look into the role of the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Licensing) Amod Kanth, in permitting retention of extra seats in the cinema hall in spite of the Lieutenant-Governor withdrawing a notification in that regard earlier. The CBI should also investigate the role of other officials who had been giving temporary licence to Uphaar for 17 years.

After the pronouncement of the sentence, the wife of one of the convicts, N. S. Chopra, began shouting, and she approached and threatened the convener of Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy Neelam Krishnamoorthy. She was then taken out of the courtroom.

Another convict Ajit Chaudhary also shouted, saying he would be out of jail within a month. Both Chopra and Chaudhary have been sentenced to seven-year RI.

On a complaint lodged by Ms. Krishnamoorthy, the judge asked the Station House Officer to look into the matter.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

13 killed as serial blasts rock Uttar Pradesh
Taslima Nasreen shifted to Delhi
Pakistan suspended
Laxman and Dhoni prop up the Indian innings
‘Lefties’ — all charm
Beckham sets sights on 2010 World Cup
India needs to be wary, not worried
Mary Ann Gomes beats Maria Ignacz, maintains her one-point-lead
“Government committed to developing Ariyalur district”
Don’t compare Godhra to Nandigram: Yechury
Fear, despair in Nandigram relief camp
BSNL calls to U.S. is Rs.1.75 a minute
Two-year RI for Ansal brothers
Egmore station getting a facelift
U.P. terror cells remain elusive
Not involved in Taslima issue: official
Shortage of pilots, air-traffic controllers turns focus on safety
Concept of ‘liberated zones’ should not be tolerated, says Shivraj Patil
‘Hot needle therapy’ for the newborn
Computing for the kids
Probe to focus on Harkat
IIT girl “commits suicide”
Job scheme yet to pick up pace in six districts
Army called in
Disturbed area status
Powerful bomb defused; security post attacked
Surgeons at Gandhi Hospital create history
Avoid delays, VS tells Collectors
Protest over student’s death

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu