NEW DELHI: Real estate barons – – Sushil and Gopal Ansal – – gave an undertaking to the Supreme Court today that they would not leave India till the hearings in the review petition in connection with the 1997 Upahaar fire tragedy case been decided.
The Apex Court, also issued notice to Ansal brothers on the plea of AVUT (Association of the Victims of the Upahaar Tragedy), which submitted that they might flee the country.
A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and Adarsh Kumar Goel heard the plea from the AVUT and issued notice to real estate barons.
December 14, Wednesday, was set for the next date of hearing. The Supreme Court also made it clear that the Ansal brothers could not leave the country till the petition was disposed off.
Fifty nine people, trapped in the balcony of the theatre in south Delhi, had died of asphyxia following the fire and more than 100 were injured in the subsequent stampede on 13 June 1997 during the screening of Bollywood Hindi film “Border”.
The fire broke out during the 3-6PM show. Neelam and Sekhar Krishnamoorthy, who lost their daughter Unnati and son Ujwal in the Uphaar fire tragedy, are fighting the case for the victims.
They had sought more stringent punishment so that such incidents did not happen in India.
Senior advocate KTS Tulsi, appearing for AVUT, said, Ansals may flee the country and an order be passed to restrain them.
The court then sought an undertaking which was given by the counsel on behalf of Ansals.
Earlier, the AVUT had mentioned the review plea for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur who said a new one would be constituted to hear the review petitions filed by the CBI and it. (AGENCIES)
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