Uphaar Fire Tragedy: Delhi Court Convicts Sushil Ansal, Gopal Ansal In Evidence Tampering Case

A Delhi Court on Friday convicted Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal in the evidence tampering case in connection with the Uphaar fire tragedy that happened in the year 1997.

The two were convicted under sec. 201 (tampering of evidence), 120B and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant of the Indian Penal Code.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma passed the order while holding a former court staff and other individuals as guilty in the matter.

The Court was of the view that the documents which were tampered with by the accused persons formed the basis of their conviction in the main Uphaar case as being the most critical documents for the trial in order to establish their role and position.

"The accused persons were conveniently taking advantage of the missing documents during the trial of main Uphaar case as they challenged the motion of secondary evidence by the prosecution and in their statement under section 313 CrP.C refused to admit those documents on the premise that they were marked documents," the Court said.

"So much so when the said documents were exhibited by the Court following the due procedure they challenged the said order. These facts taken in totality show that how important was these documents which were effaced from the record to secure their acquittal and put a stumbling block in the trial by preventing the Court in rendering judgment," it added.

The Court said that the manner in which process of law was subjected to desecration by accused persons is no less than defiling the justice administration system.

"The high handedness of the accused persons for securing benefit in the trial sans documents by any means demonstrate the scant regard which they have for the justice delivery system which is the bedrock of our democracy. The brazen attitude of the accused persons is reflective from their conduct as after destruction of evidence they vehemently opposed the prosecution plea for adducing secondary evidence. They left no stone unturned to prevent advent of secondary evidence," the Court said.

The matter pertains to the tampering of evidence in connection with the fire tragedy case wherein the Ansals were convicted and sentenced by the Supreme Court.

As many as 59 people died and 100 were injured in the fire during the screening of Hindi blockbuster Border on the evening of June 13, 1997.

The fire started in the parking lot and then engulfed the building in the busy Green Park area.

Most people died in the ensuing stampede or were asphyxiated as the escape routes were blocked by illegally fixed chairs. The trial court had sentenced the duo to two years' rigorous imprisonment in November 2007. 

Click Here To Read Order