Uphaar Cinema Tragedy: Ansal Brothers Get 7 Yrs Jail Term for Evidence Tampering

At least 59 people died in a fire that took place in the cinema hall in 1997 during the screening of 'Border'.

The balcony of Uphaar Cinema in New Delhi where 59 people were killed in June 1997. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: The Quint)

Businessmen Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal, one of the prime accused in the Uphaar Cinema tragedy were sentenced to 7 years in jail on Monday, 8 November, for tampering with evidence in the case related to the fire that killed 59 people in the theatre in 1997.

The sentence was announced by a Delhi Court on Monday, 8 November, a month after they were convicted.

The duo have also been asked to pay Rs 2.5 crore each, NDTV reported.

A least 59 people died and over 100 were injured in a fire that took place in the cinema hall, in Delhi, in 1997 during the screening of the film Border.

After serving the first two years in jail, the Supreme Court in August 2015 had allowed the Ansals to walk free and asked them to pay a fine of Rs 30 crore each, which would be utilised to build a trauma centre in the national capital.

In 2019, the court had issued a non-bailable warrant against the two in a case of alleged tampering of evidence, the verdict for which was pronounced last month.

In February 2020, the court had dismissed a curative petition filed by victims' group Association for Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) to review the judgment.

(With inputs from NDTV.)