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Uphaar fire tragedy verdict: SC orders Gopal Ansal to serve one year in jail

The CBI and the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) had sought review of the apex court verdict delivered on August 19, 2015, sending the Ansal brothers to two years of rigourous jail term if they fail to pay Rs 30 crore each.

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Photographs of victims of the Uphaar tragedy seen at a prayer meet
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The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Gopal Ansal to serve one year in jail , of which he had already served four months. Sushil Ansal had already undergone his jail sentence.

The court was hearing a plea seeking review of the 2015 order in the Uphaar fire tragedy case asking real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal to serve a two-year jail term if they fail to pay Rs 30 crore each as fine.

On Thursday, the court did not allow the review petitions of the Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) and the CBI.

Reacting to the verdict, Neelam Krishnamoorthy of AVUT told ANI, "Extremely disappointed. The biggest mistake in my life was coming to court. Lost faith in judiciary. Have been let down very badly, a futile exercise. The rich and powerful enjoy special powers."

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) had sought review of the apex court verdict delivered on August 19, 2015, sending the Ansal brothers to two years of rigorous jail term if they fail to pay Rs 30 crore each within three months. The convicts have already paid the fine.

A three-judge bench of justices Ranjan Gogoi, Kurian Joseph and Adarsh Kumar Goel, which had reserved the judgement on the review pleas after hearing lengthy arguments, advanced by counsel for CBI, AVUT and Ansal brothers pronounce the verdict.

59 people trapped in the balcony class of the theatre had died due to asphyxia and more than 100 were injured in the subsequent stampede following a fire that broke out during the 3-6 pm matinee show screening of the Hindi movie 'Border' on June 13, 1997.

Neelam and Sekhar Krishnamoorthy, who lost their daughter Unnati and son Ujwal in the tragedy 18 years ago, fought the case from lower courts to the India's highest court for the justice to the victims. The Krishnamurthys have sought more stringent punishment so that such incidents do not happen again.

The victims' body had also mentioned the review plea for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur who said a new bench would be constituted to hear the review petitions filed by CBI and the association.

Prior to that, a bench headed by Justice AR Dave, now retired, had decided to hear in open court the petitions filed by CBI and AVUT seeking review of the 2015 verdict.

Following the judgement, Sushil and Gopal Ansal had deposited Rs 30 crore each to avoid the jail term. 

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