Uphaar fire: Delhi HC dismisses Ansal brothers' plea to suspend 7-yr jail term

Uphaar fire tragedy: Real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal were awarded seven year in prison for tampering with evidence related to the fire that took place at Uphaar Cinemas in the national capital.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal seeking suspension of their seven-year jail term awarded for tampering with evidence related to the fire that took place at Uphaar Cinemas in the national capital.

Uphaar cinema's property at Green Park in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

A bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad passed the ruling on Wednesday. The court had kept the order reserved on January 27, 2022, after the conclusion of the submissions of all sides.

A trial court had awarded them the seven-year sentence and imposed a fine of ₹2.25 crore.

At least 59 people had died of asphyxia and over 100 others were injured in the stampede after fire broke out in Uphaar cinema on June 13, 1997, during the screening of JP Dutta's film 'Border'.

Along with the Ansal brothers, a court staff – Dinesh Chand Sharma – and other individuals PP Batra, Har Swaroop Panwar, Anoop Singh and Dharamvir Malhotra were booked for tampering of evidence in the case.