Gopal Ansal's mercy plea nothing but a sham: Neelam Krishnamurthy

New Delhi [India] June 20 (ANI): After the Delhi Government rejected the mercy petition of Gopal Ansal, who is an accused in the Uphaar tragedy case; founder of Association of Victim, Neelam Krishnamurthy, on Tuesday stated that his mercy plea is nothing but a sham. Speaking to ANI, Krishnamurthy said, "We welcome the Delhi Government's decision to reject Gopal Ansal's mercy petition as it shows they are concerned about safety in public spaces. The mercy plea by Ansal is nothing but sham. Ansal from the very beginning is making excuses about his health issues and should not be shown mercy. His elder brother Sushil Ansal has also shown records that he is not keeping in good health, which is just a lie". Further lashing out at Ansal, Krishnamurthy stated that the accused is prolonging this matter only with fake health records. "Just because of his fake health issue records Ansal is prolonging this matter. There are many people who are elder to him but are still given life time imprisonment by Supreme Court," she said. Earlier in the day, the Delhi Government rejected the mercy petition of Gopal Ansal. In his petition, he stated that jail term will have an ill-effect on his health. A Delhi Court has already reserved its order on the basis of the chargesheet filed by the police on charges made by Krishnamurthy, who lost her children in the Uphaar tragedy. Sushil and Gopal Ansal had approached the High Court challenging the charges framed against them for tampering with evidence. The district court earlier had ordered framing of charges against seven accused for abetment of offence, causing disappearance of evidence, criminal breach of trust by public servant and criminal conspiracy. All the accused had denied allegations against them but the court dismissed their petition. Earlier in April, Gopal Ansal surrendered before the Tihar jail authorities after the Supreme Court refused to grant him more time. The apex court also refused Ansal's plea, for more time to surrender and ordered the real estate baron to undergo the rest of his jail term. The apex court directed senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who appeared for Ansal, to ask the real estate baron to complete the rest of his jail term. The apex court sentenced Ansal to one-year jail term on February 9, while, his elder brother Sushil was ordered to skip his prison term citing old age and ill-health. At least 59 people died of asphyxia and over 100 others were injured in the stampede after fire broke out in Uphaar cinema in Delhi on June 13, 1997, during the screening of J.P. Dutta's film 'Border'. (ANI)