The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has moved the Supreme Court to seek a review of its verdict in the Uphaar fire tragedy case.
Earlier this year, the apex court had convicted businessmen brothers Sushil and Gopal Ansal, but ruled that they need not serve jail time, and only fined them Rs 30 crore each for their involvement in the incident, in which 59 people lost their lives.
The review petition filed by the CBI reportedly said that the court did not provide time to the investigating agency to argue its views, and this had resulted in a ‘miscarriage of justice’.
Earlier in August this year, the apex court had rejected a plea filed by the CBI to allow it some more time to argue for punishment against the Ansals in the 1997 Uphaar fire case. The top court asked the agency should to a review petition instead.
Eighteen years after the ghastly incident, the SC held the Ansals guilty of “criminal negligence” this year, but observers felt that the duo got away lightly, having served a jail term between four and five months.