Gopal Ansal given one-year imprisonment in Uphaar cinema tragedy

New Delhi: The Supreme court awarded one-year imprisonment to Gopal Ansal, one of the two real estate brothers accused in Uphaar fire tragedy, on Thursday.

The apex court has asked Gopal Ansal to surrender within four weeks to serve the remaining jail term of the one year punishment.

The SC, however, gave relief to Gopal's elder brother Sushil Ansal considering his advanced age. Sushil Ansal was given the jail term already undergone by him, including the remission, in the case.

The verdict was pronounced by the two-judge division bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Kurian Joseph. The bench stated that fine of Rs 30 crore each imposed on Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal by the apex court earlier was not excessive.

The verdict was passed by the majority of 2:1 with Justices Gogoi and Joseph voting in favour of it while Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel was in minority.

The apex court delivered the judgement on the pleas of CBI and the victims' body seeking a review of the 2015 verdict in the case asking Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal to serve a two-year jail term if they fail to pay Rs 30 crore each as fine.

It may be recalled that at least 59 people had died of asphyxia when a fire broke out during the screening of Bollywood movie 'Border' in Uphaar theatre in Green Park area of South Delhi on June 13, 1997. The accident had led to a subsequent stampede injuring over 100 people.