New Delhi, Dec 11: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the 1997 Uphaar Cinema hall fire tragedy.

The court has also issued notice to the Association of Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) on a petition challenging the trial court's verdict in the Uphaar fire case.

Justice S N Dhingra sought response from the CBI and the AVUT on a petition filed by Sushil Ansal, one of 12 convicts in the case.

The court has posted the matter for next hearing on January 2.

The court expressed its inability to give early hearing of the case as requested by the CBI.

A Delhi Sessions Court on November 23 awarded the owners of Uphaar Cinema hall, Gopal and Sushil Ansal, with two years of imprisonment in connection with the 1997 cinema hall fire tragedy that left 59 people dead and over hundred people injured.

Each of the convicted brothers were fined rupees 5,000 and given bail on an additional rupees 25,000 bond. They both were held guilty of criminal negligence in the case.

Seven other convicts in the case have been given seven years of imprisonment, and remaining three of the twelve convicts have been given two years of imprisonment.

Ten other accused in the case are R. K. Sharma, Ajit Chaudhary, N. S. Chopra, Manmohan Uniyal, Shyam Sunder Sharma, N. D. Tiwari, Hanswaroop Panwar, B. M. Satija, A. K. Gera and Beer Singh.

The tragedy took place on June 13, 1997 during the screening of the Hindi film, "Border. "

The theatre was engulfed when an overheated generator burst in the basement of the building. Men, women and children all scampered to rush out of the four cinema hall exits. (ANI)