MillenniumPost
Delhi

SC for hearing of review plea in summer vacation

Giving a fresh ray of hope, the Supreme Court on Tuesday assured Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) that it would consider hearing in the summer break its plea seeking review of the 2015 verdict by which real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal were required to serve two-year in jail if they failed to pay Rs 30 crore each.

“Will you be able to argue during summer vacation,” a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U Lalit said when senior advocate KTS Tulsi, appearing for AVUT, sought urgent listing of the plea seeking review of the verdict in an open court hearing. Tulsi referred to the fact that earlier also, AVUT had sought urgent hearing.

“One of the three judges (Justice A R Dave who is also presiding the bench) will retire by the time this is heard,” the senior lawyer said.

The court then said it would consult the concerned judges of the bench and explore possibility of listing and hearing the plea during upcoming summer vacation, beginning on May 16 and ending on June 28.

Earlier, the CJI had assured the counsel for AVUT that probably the review plea will be listed for hearing after the Holi vacation.

Prior to this, three-judge bench comprising justices A R Dave, Kurian Joseph and A K Goel had decided to hear the review petition filed by CBI and AVUT in an open court.

59 cine-goers had died of asphyxia during the blaze when Bollywood movie ‘Border’ was being screened in Uphaar theatre. The Ansals have already deposited Rs 30 crore each.

The review plea filed by AVUT said “The impugned orders are in gross violation of natural justice and have been passed without affording victims any effective, meaningful hearing.” 

It said the Apex Court judgements “bestow an unwarranted leniency on convicts whose conviction in the most heinous of offences has been upheld by all courts including this court and sentences imposed on them have been substituted with fine without assigning any reason or basis.”
Next Story
Share it