Uphaar fire tragedy: Ansal brothers sentenced to 7 years for tampering evidence

New Delhi, Nov 08: A Delhi court on Monday awarded 7-year jail terms to Sushil and Gopal Ansal in evidence tampering case related to the 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire which claimed 59 lives. The court also imposed Rs 2.25 crore fine each on Sushil and Gopal Ansal.

"After thinking over nights and nights, I have come to the conclusion that they deserve punishment," the judge said.

The convicts, out on bail, were taken into the custody after the order was pronounced.

The case is related to tampering with the evidence in the main fire tragedy case in which the Ansals were convicted and sentenced to two-year jail term by the Supreme Court.

The apex court however released them taking into account the prison time they had done on the condition that they pay Rs 30 crore fine each, to be used for building a trauma centre in the national capital.

On June 13, 1997, halfway through the screening of Hindi film "Border", a fire broke out in Uphaar Cinema, situated in Green Park area here. Fifty-nine people had died of asphyxia, while over 100 others were injured in the ensuing stampede.