Allahabad High Court nullifies Ghazipur court's decision on Afzal Ansari's conviction; he can continue as MP
PTC Web Desk: The Allahabad High Court on Monday nullified a Ghazipur court's decision that had sentenced Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari to four years in prison under the Gangsters Act for the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.
Justice SK Singh granted Afzal Ansari's plea against the conviction, allowing the SP MP to remain in Parliament. The court also rejected appeals from the UP Government and Piyush Kumar Rai, Krishnanand Rai's son, who sought a stricter sentence for the Ghazipur MP.
An MP-MLA court in Ghazipur had convicted Ansari on April 29, 2023, sentencing him to four years in jail and fining him Rs 1 lakh under the Gangsters Act. Following this, Ansari was disqualified as an MP and subsequently filed a criminal appeal with the high court.
According to the Representation of the People Act, any MP or state legislator sentenced to two or more years of imprisonment is disqualified from the date of conviction and remains disqualified for six years after completing their sentence.
On July 24, 2023, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to the five-time MLA and two-time MP, but did not stay his conviction, which meant that although Ansari was released from jail, his parliamentary membership was not restored. However, the Supreme Court later stayed his conviction, restoring his parliamentary membership and making him eligible to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
The Supreme Court directed the HC to expedite the hearing of his appeal, which was reserved on July 4 this year. Afzal Ansari's brother, Mukhtar Ansari, passed away earlier this year.
- With inputs from agencies
