Delhi HC seeks police reply on Sushil Ansal's plea in evidence tampering case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the city police on a plea by real estate tycoon Sushil Ansal seeking to set aside his conviction and sentence for tampering with evidence in the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire case.

Sushil Ansal has already completed his jail term in this case pertaining to the fire incident on June 13, 1997 that left 59 dead.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notice to the Delhi Police on the 83-year-old Ansal's petition and listed the matter for further hearing on December 13.

Meanwhile, the high court issued bailable warrant against Ansal's then employee P P Batra, who was also convicted in the evidence tampering case, as neither he nor any lawyer on his behalf was present in the court during the hearing on the victims' plea to enhance punishment of the convicts in the evidence tampering case.

The high court was hearing two separate pleas one by Sushil Ansal challenging his conviction and sentence and another by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) seeking enhancement of the punishment awarded to the convicts in the evidence tampering case.

A magisterial court had on November 8, 2021, awarded seven-year jail term to the real estate barons.

The District Judge had on July 19 modified the magisterial court's order on sentence and ordered the release of Sushil and Gopal Ansal, former court staff Dinesh Chandra Sharma and Ansal's then employee Batra against their already undergone jail term since November 8, 2021.

It imposed a fine of Rs 3 crore on Sushil and Gopal Ansal each and Rs 30,000 on Batra and Rs 60,000 on Sharma.

Sushil Ansal said he has deposited the fine amount of Rs 3 crore in compliance with the trial court order which was directed to be disbursed to AVUT and sought a direction to the association to give security/undertaking to the tune of Rs 3 crore qua the fine deposited by him till the disposal of his petition.