Arguing that real estate baron Sushil Ansal has no proof to show that he suffered any “age-related” ailments, relatives of Uphaar fire tragedy victims on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to re-consider its recent decision to spare him a prison term for causing the deaths of 59 people in his theatre in 1997.
A three-judge Bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi, in a 2:1 majority verdict on February 9, had given Sushil Ansal leeway by reducing his jail sentence to the period already undergone by him behind bars. However, his younger brother, Gopal Ansal, was asked to surrender and serve the remainder of his one-year jail term.
The younger Ansal, who is in his late sixties, has approached the court, requesting that he too be treated on par with his 76-year-old elder sibling as he suffered from the same health issues dogging the latter.
The relatives under the banner, Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), have questioned the decision to let Sushil Ansal walk free. They said he had not produced any evidence so far in court to prove that he suffered from age-related ailments.
Their case for modification of the Supreme Court decision was mentioned before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar. The relatives contended that both Ansals were healthy and should be sent to jail to serve the remaining sentence.
The plea by AVUT would come up for hearing on Wednesday before a Bench led by Justice Gogoi along with Gopal Ansal’s separate plea for parity.
