SC issues notices to Ansal brothers

New Delhi, March 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Ansal brothers on an application filed by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) pleading for the stay of the Delhi High Court order permitting M/s Ansal Theatres&Clubhotels to mortgage the theatre to pay off the compensation to the families of the victims.

The counsel for the applicants told the bench comprising Justices BN Agrawal and PP Naolekar that in the garb of mortaging the property, the Ansals had virtually sold it off for Rs 43 crore and if the High Court order was not stayed, than irreparable loss would be caused to the victims of the tragedy.

As many as 59 people died and over a 100 were injured inside the cinema hall due to asyphyxation when a fire broke out on June 13, 1997. The notices have been returnable in four weeks.

The Ansal brothers had moved a petition seeking permission to sell the property to pay compensation to the victims. However, it was opposed by the victims who pleaded that theatre building was a case property and could not be sold during the pendency of the criminal case.

UNI