Conclude hearing of Ansals’ appeal by May 15, Delhi HC sets deadline

Stating that no unnecessary adjournments may be sought by the parties, Justice Subramonium Prasad said, “The judgement be pronounced as early as possible after conclusion of the hearing. In the eventuality of the appeal not being concluded …, it is always open for the learned appellate court to approach this court for extension of time.”

The court on February 16 had refused to suspend the sentence, saying that they have been convicted in an “extremely serious offence” that could “shake the confidence” of the public in the judiciary. It had also requested the appellate court to expedite the hearing of their appeals and complete it in a month.

It had said that, if necessary, the lower court could conduct day-to-day hearings, and expedite pronouncement of the judgment. “This Court is of the view cases of this nature should be heard and decided at the earliest as any delay in dealing with the same will only make people lose faith in the cherished institution, that is the judiciary. The Petitioners herein inhabit the stigma of desecrating the temple of justice and a quietus needs to be put to the same. If they are ultimately found to be innocent in the instant case, this stigma has to be removed at the earliest,” it had observed.

On Wednesday, the extension for deciding the appeals was granted after hearing Sushil Ansal’s application, on the ground that the record in the case is voluminous. The prayer was opposed by the prosecution.

As many as 59 people were killed in the fire at Uphaar cinema in June 1997. During the trial in 2003, the lower court was told that certain important documents were “missing/mutilated and had been tampered with”. The High Court later directed the Delhi Police to investigate the evidence tampering.

On November 8 last year, a lower court sentenced Sushil and Gopal Ansal, who in 2007 had been sentenced to two years imprisonment for the deaths, and seven years in prison for evidence tampering. The court in October had held P P Batra, Anoop Singh Karayat and a former court staff, Dinesh Chand Sharma, guilty, along with the brothers.