HC issues notice to CBI in Uphaar case

New Delhi, Jan 2 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply on January 4 on businessman Gopal Ansal's appeal for suspension of his sentence in the Uphaar cinema fire tragedy case.

Justice H R Malhotra gave directions to the CBI while hearing a petition filed by Gopal, sentenced to two-year-imprisonment in the case.

Pleading innocence, Gopal argued that the lower court had wrongly implicated him in the case.

According to him, the court did not appreciate that he was not the licensee of the cinema hall.

The petition mentioned his question as to why only he and his brother along with Uphaar management were singled out when it was for the DCP Licensing to ensure removal of alleged violations in the hall.

He added it was the second transformer which led to the tragedy being ''thrust upon'' the management by the civic agencies.

Besides, it was the job of the parking authorities outside the hall to manage vehicles in and around the cinema hall for which the owners can't be held liable, he mentioned in the petition.

It may be added here that a lower court had sentenced Gopal and his brother Sushil Ansal to two-years of jail on November 23.

However, both have since been on bail.

UNI SSS SP KP1859