Ansal brothers let off easy, no jail term for Uphaar tragedy, announces SC

Supreme Court, on 19 August, asked the Ansal brothers to pay a fine of Rs 60 crore and said that there was no need to imprison them.

The fine has to be deposited within three months and the money can be utilised by Delhi government, said the court.

On 13 June, 1997, Uphaar Cinema hall located in Green Park area of South Delhi caught fire while the Bollywood movie, Border, was being screened in the hall.

While 59 people lost their lives in the accident, over 100 people suffered injuries.

Sushil and Gopal Ansal were the owners of the cinema hall and a chargesheet was was filed against them and 14 others by the CBI for causing death by negligence and endangering life among other things.