A Delhi court on Saturday awarded life imprisonment to ex-Army officer S J Choudhary for killing businessman Krishan Sikand in a parcel bomb explosion 26 years ago. Choudhary, 70, was on April 28 found guilty by the court for the murder of Krishan Sikand, who had died in an explosion caused by the parcel bomb delivered at his Sunder Nagar residence here on October 2, 1982.The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Choudhary.
The court had on November 20 convicted Sushil and Gopal Ansal, two MCD officials and Delhi Fire Service officer under Sections 304A and 337 and 338 of the IPC, which pertain to endangering human lives.
The counsel for convicts had on Wednesday submitted that they should either be sentenced only to a fine or be released on probation; a custodial punishment was not mandatory for the provisions of the law under which they have been held guilty.
A Delhi court on Wednesday deferred the hearing till Thursday on the quantum of punishment in the Uphaar cinema tragedy case as the arguments remained inconclusive.
The CBI held theatre owners criminally liable for the tragedy as the emergency safety measures were not in place.
Kumar had told the court in evidence that unauthorised plywood partitions set up by the tenants inside the building had severely hampered passage when people from the balcony were rushed out to the open-air terrace, Saxena said.
As Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal pronounced the judgment convicting 12 people for the infamous Uphaar tragedy, there was no emotion on the faces of those waiting for justice. They had been waiting to hear the words for the last 10 years.
A Delhi court will pronounce its verdict on November 20 in the 10-year-old Uphaar fire tragedy case, which claimed 59 lives during screening of a Hindi film.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday dropped proceedings and quashed the summons issued by a lower court against real estate tycoons Sushil Ansal and Gopal Ansal in the Uphaar cinema fire tragedy case for allegedly threatening complainant Neelam Krishnamoorthy.
Sunetra Choudhury hopes the Supreme Court will eventually give a fitting punishment to the Uphaar accused.
