Former BSP MP Gets Partial Relief In Gangsters Act Case Linked To BJP MLA's Murder, Supreme Court Allows Attending House

The Supreme Court on Thursday (14 December) provisionally halted the conviction of Afzal Ansari, a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP, in a case related to the 2007 Gangsters Act in BJP MLA's murder.

The verdict from Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan, given in majority, stated that Ansari, an ex-MP from Ghazipur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, will neither be allowed to vote in the Lok Sabha nor receive any perks. However, he is permitted to attend the House proceedings.

On 29 April, the Ghazipur special court found Ansari and his brother, former MLA Mukhtar Ansari, guilty in the 2007 Gangsters Act case. Afzal Ansari was sentenced to a four-year jail term, while Mukhtar Ansari received a longer sentence of ten years.

Following his conviction, Afzal Ansari lost his membership in the Lok Sabha on 1 May. The ex-MP then contested the verdict of a unique MP/MLA court. However, the Allahabad High Court on 24 July declined to overturn the conviction but granted him bail.

According to PTI, the Supreme Court had held off on delivering its decision regarding Ansari's request for his conviction to be suspended in the case, as of 31 October.

During today's hearing, the Allahabad High Court was also instructed to resolve the former MP's criminal appeal against his conviction and sentence by 30 June 2024.

Notably, Justice Datta expressed his disagreement with the majority verdict and rejected Ansari's appeal.

The siblings were charged under the UP Gangsters Act related to the assassination of Krishnanad Rai, a former BJP MLA from Ghazipur, which took place on 29 November 2005. Additionally, they were implicated in the 1997 abduction and homicide of Nand Kishore Rungta, a merchant based in Varanasi.