Despite the case lagging in courts for over two decades, the Uphaar Theatre fire is still fresh in the memory of Delhiites. The 1997 incident killed 59 people and left 100 injured. Businessmen and owners of the theatre, Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal have been sentenced to seven years in prison for tampering with evidence in the case involving fire at Delhi's Uphaar theatre.
Delhi Patiala House Court on Monday also charged the businessmen, who are into real estate and property business, with a fine of Rs 2.25 crore. A month ago both brothers were found guilty of and convicted with tampering of evidence in the fire tragedy.
Before this, the Ansal brothers were jailed for two years by the Supreme Court, after which they were released and fined to the tune of Rs 30 crore each. The money is to be spent in building a trauma care Centre in the Capital itself.
What exactly happened on the fateful day?
Even those outside of the Capital, well remember the incident that shook all the cinema goers in the nation. It was just another show in 1997 and the screening of the Bollywood war movie Border. Only it wasn't. With the theatre's fire safety plans and fire alarms not in place, the unfortunate incident claimed as many as 59 innocent lives in the stampede and left 100 injured.
A legal battle, primarily involving the parents of young children who vowed to bring the Ansal brothers to court, ensued. The court case has dragged and comprised several allegations, counter allegations involving tampering of evidence, homicide to many other issues.
In 2015, a trial court had convicted both brothers, despite which Supreme Court allowed the Ansal brothers to walk away free with a fine of Rs 60 crore. The Apex Court also added that the two would not be required to go to prison. The judgement once again opened a media trial and created a social media uproar, as the Ansals had individually so far undergone only five to six months of imprisonment.
In 2017, a three-judge bench gave relief to 78-year-old Sushil Ansal on account of his advanced age related health complications, by awarding him the jail term which he had already undergone. His younger sibling Gopal Ansal was, however, asked to serve the remaining one-year jail term.
What the Twitter has to say?
While at the time of the tragedy, the social media was yet to be a part of the popular culture in India, but at the time of judgement, the public memory did not have to be jogged.
"This incident and the long legal battle should be a lesson for all unethical businessmen and real estate people and bureaucrats who pass such buildings, to not take public safety for granted," wrote an angry user. Others joined in, saying it's unfortunate incidents like these that make officials in India take public safety seriously.
