Uphaar tragedy: Supreme Court orders Gopal Ansal to serve one-year jail sentence

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Gopal Ansal, convicted for June 13, 1997, Uphaar fire tragedy in which 59 people lost their lives, to serve one year jail sentence, of which he had already served four months.
Sushil Ansal, who was also convicted in the case, has already undergone his jail sentence.
The top court, by its 2015 verdict had enhanced the sentence to two years – the maximum under Indian Penal Code’s Section 304 (Causing death by negligence). But the top court had also let them off by asking the brothers to pay Rs 30 crore each, coupled with the sentence they have already undergone.
The verdict created uproar as Ansal brothers had individually undergone just five to six months imprisonment each.
They were awarded two years sentence by the trial court but the Delhi High Court by its December 19, 2008, verdict had reduced the sentence to one year.
59 people had died of asphyxia when a fire broke out during the screening of Bollywood movie ‘Border’ in Uphaar theatre in Green Park area of South Delhi on June 13, 1997.
Over 100 were also injured in the subsequent stampede.