New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court declined the CBI`s plea to put forward its arguments on the period of sentence for the Ansal brothers - Sushil and Gopal - following their conviction for negligence in 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy, families of those who died in the gruesome incident met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday.
Neelam Krishnamoorthy, mother of Uphaar fire victim, said, “We met CM Kejriwal, he had assured us support and said that he is taking legal advice in connection with the case.”
The Chief Minister said that the Delhi Government has enough money to build a trauma centre the name of which cane be decided by the victims, Krishnamoorthy said.
Coming down heavily on Ansals' counsel and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani, Krishnamoorthy said, “I heard him calling me insane. Yes I am insane and it is the Ansals who have made me insane.”
Also Read: No jail for Ansals: CBI, Uphaar case victims to file review petition in SC
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party had yesterday expressed deep disappointment over the Supreme Court verdict denying further jail term to Ansal brothers in the Uphaar tragedy case.
Verdict on Uphaar has deeply disappointed us. We feel that justice has not been done", AAP leader Ashutosh had said.
The AAP party also said that the SC ruling on the Ansal brothers has raised several questions.
However, lawyer for the accused Ansal brothers, Ram Jethmalani, was joyous. "This is the best judgement that the SC has delivered," the noted criminal lawyer said.
The Supreme Court had on Monday declined CBI's plea that it be heard 15 more minutes for advancing arguments on left out points on quantum of sentence in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case in which convicted real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal escaped further jail terms on payment of a fine of Rs 30 crore each in three months.
Also Read: Uphaar fire case: Supreme Court asks Ansal brothers to pay Rs 60 crore; no jail term
While Sushil Ansal has spent over five months in prison, Gopal has spent jail time of over four months.
The bench rejected the submissions of senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for CBI, that the convicts be sent to jail to serve the remaining jail term.
"We have already passed the order. You must understand. It will not be proper," said a bench of Justice Anil R Dave, Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel.
Salve wanted to place before the court the arguments which the agency has yet to address to the court. But the court was unmoved and asked Salve to file a review petition.
The matter was heard by the three judge bench after a bench of Justice TSThakur and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra (since retired) on March 5, 2014, while upholding the Ansals`conviction, took a divergent position on sentencing.
The trial court had on November 20, 2007 sentenced the Ansal brothers to two years` imprisonment but it was reduced to one year by the high court in 2008.
With PTI inputs
