Uphaar Cinema Tragedy: Gopal Ansal to Surrender on Thursday

On 9 February, a three-judge bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi had asked Uphaar Cinema owner Gopal Ansal to surrender in four weeks to serve one-year jail time, while granting relief to the 76-year-old co-owner Sushil Ansal.

Gopal is due to surrender on 9 March. The SC refused to extend the date for surrender of Gopal Ansal in the fire case, but agreed to hear his plea on Thursday.

Gopal's lawyer Ram Jethmalani sought to postpone the matter after his nine-day-long Holi break.

The victims of 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy had moved the Supreme Court seeking modification of its order sentencing Sushil Ansal to the period already undergone by him in jail due to his age-related complications.

At least 59 people died of asphyxia and more than 100 others were injured in a stampede situation that occurred after fire broke out in Uphaar cinema on 13 June 1997, during the screening of JP Dutta’s film Border.