Uphaar tragedy: SC to hear Gopal Ansal's plea seeking extension of deadline to surrender

After refusing to extend the deadline for the surrender of Gopal Ansal in connection with the 1997 Uphaar cinema tragedy, the Supreme Court today will hear the application by the real estate mogul, who is seeking to extend the time to surrender for serving the one-year jail term.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had ordered Gopal to surrender on March 9th.

The apex court will also hear Gopal's plea, where he is seeking relief similar to the one given to his elder brother Sushil, whose jail term was waived off due to advanced age-related complications.

However, the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) has moved the top court seeking modification of the order sentencing Sushil to the period already undergone by him in jail.

Founder of the AVUT Neelam Krishnamoorthy, asserted that Gopal has been trying to delay the process of surrendering from a very long time.

"For the last ten days, Ansal has been trying to delay and derail the process of surrendering. Whenever his date comes for surrendering, he makes an excuse to seek extension. Today also, it was another attempt by his counsel to make sure that this matter is posted after Holi break, but thankfully the court has refused it and has posted for tomorrow morning 10:30," Neelam told ANI after the hearing.

"As parents we have fought to get justice and after doing so much we have to face such hurdles. People like them with power and money can easily take advantage and change dates every time," she added while expressing anguish over the matter.

The AVUT has also claimed that the Ansal brothers were healthy and in a good condition to travel abroad, suggesting that they are not suffering from any medical complications to warrant any indulgence from the top court.

At least 59 people died of asphyxia and over 100 others were injured in the stampede after fire broke out in Uphaar cinema on June 13, 1997, during the screening of J.P. Dutta's film "Border.