Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Real estate tycoon brothers Sushil and Gopal Ansal seemed calm Thursday when they were taken to Delhi’s Tihar Jail after being convicted for lapses that led to the June 1997 Uphaar theatre fire in which 59 people were killed. Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Judge I.K. Kochar sent the Ansal brothers to judicial custody along with two managers of the theatre, Ajit Chaudhary and Nirmal Singh Chopra, after they surrendered following the Supreme Court’s cancellation of their bail plea Wednesday.

The Ansals will remain in judicial custody till their appeal against the conviction is heard.

A battery of media persons was waiting for the Ansal brothers in the court but once again they successfully gave anxious cameramen a slip.

Dressed in white shirts and black trousers, the brothers were impassive when they entered the courtroom in Patiala House. They were seen talking to their lawyers.

Though no family member from the Ansals was present, their company representatives were seen along with lawyers.

Families of victims were present in the court premises since morning and expressed satisfaction that their fight to justice had finally ended.

“We are happy that finally our fight for justice has reached its conclusion,” said Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) president Neelam Krishnamoorthy, who has been spearheading the tireless fight for justice.

Naveen Sahni, who lost her daughter in the tragedy, said: “Justice has been done and we are satisfied with the apex court’s move.”

At least 59 people, including 22 children, had died and over 100 were injured in the fire in cinema hall over 11 years ago.

While cancelling the Ansal brothers’ bail, granted to them by the Delhi High Court, pending their appeal against their conviction and two-year jail term in the Uphaar fire tragedy case, the Supreme Court bench also directed the high court to dispose their appeals “expeditiously”.