Uphaar tragedy accused Ansal brothers to surrender today

New Delhi, Sept 11 : The owners of Uphaar Cinema hall, Gopal and Sushil Ansal who were convicted in connection with the 1997 cinema hall fire tragedy which had claimed 59 lives will surrender in a Delhi court today.

On Wednesday the Supreme Court quashed the bail granted to them and ordered their immediate arrests. The apex court's order requires them to surrender before 4 p.m. today.

Along with them, the apex court also cancelled yesterday the bail of two former managers of the theatre, Ajit Chaudhary and NS Chopra.

On August 13, the Supreme Court issued bailable arrest warrants against the Ansal brothers and two others who were earlier granted bail in connection with the 1997 Uphaar cinema hall fire tragedy.

A bench of Justices B N Aggarwal and G S Singhvi passed the orders on an appeal filed by the Uphaar Victims Welfare Association, challenging the grant of the bail.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court granted bail to the owners of Uphaar Cinema hall, Gopal and Sushil Ansal. The court also granted bail to two other convicts -- Shyam Sunder Sharma and H S Panwar in the case.

A Delhi Sessions Court on November 23 awarded Gopal and Sushil Ansal two years of imprisonment in connection with the Uphaar Cinema hall fire tragedy that left 59 people dead and over hundred people injured.

The brothers were held guilty of criminal negligence in the case.

The tragedy took place on June 13, 1997 during the screening of the Hindi film, "Border."

The theatre was engulfed when an overheated generator burst in the basement of the building. Men, women and children all scampered to rush out of the four cinema hall exits.

ANI