New Delhi: Sentencing of the convicts in the Uphaar cinema fire case has been deferred as arguments continued on the quantum of sentence. Court sources said the sentences are likely to be handed over either on Friday or Monday.
The sessions court, which had held all the accused guilty for the fire tragedy on Tuesday, was to announce the sentences on Wednesday. But the court adjourned the case till Thursday as the argument into the quantum of sentences could not be completed.
The convicts in the case include Delhi real estate tycoons Gopal and Sushil Ansal. They two have been booked under Section 304(A) of the Indian Penal Code. The Ansals face a prison term up to a maximum of two years along with a fine. Section 304(A) pertains to causing death by a rash or negligent act, not amounting to culpable homicide. It is a bailable offence.
The kin of the victims have not been too pleased with this judgement. On Tuesday, Neelam Krishnamurthy of the Association of Uphaar Victims had retorted, "When you kill a chinkara, you are sentenced for five years and for 59 humans you are being sentenced 2 years?" Neelam, who had lost her two children said, "We have a long way to go and will fight!"
However, the Ansals' lawyer continues to maintain that his client cannot be held guilty in this case.
Two officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Shyam Sunder Sharma and N D Tiwari, along with Delhi Fire Service officer H S Panwar have also been booked under the same section and face a punishment of a maximum of two years.
The cinema staff, which includes three managers and the gate-keeper, face harsher punishment as they have been charged under Section 304(B) – culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The penalty for this is imprisonment for a maximum of 10 years. Three officials of the Delhi Vidyut Board also face the same. Originally, 16 people had been named in the case, but over the past decade, four have passed away.
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