On Tuesday (5th March), the Supreme Court heard a plea by gangster mafia Mukhtar Ansari wherein he urged to quash the UP Gangster Act charges against him in a case. During this hearing, the court remarked that Mukhtar Ansari is a dreaded criminal and already has so many cases against him. Subsequently, the Court permitted Ansari to submit a rejoinder affidavit and scheduled the next hearing for 2nd April.
The bench comprised Justices Bela M Trivedi and
j Mithal, who were presiding over an appeal filed by Ansari contesting a September 2022 ruling from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court that convicted him under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The High Court had imposed a five-year prison sentence on Mukhtar Ansari and fined him ₹50,000.
"He's a dreaded criminal, so many cases": Supreme Court remarks as it adjourns plea challenging BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari's conviction under UP Gangsters Act#SupremeCourt #SupremeCourtofIndia pic.twitter.com/0O290GBoPR
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) March 5, 2024
During the hearing on the petition of Mukhtar Ansari, advocate Garima Prasad representing the Yogi government of UP said, “Ansari had spread an ’empire of terror’ in the state.” The court then observed that he was now behind bars and adjourned the matter. On behalf of Mukhtar, time has been sought from the court to file his reply. Now the matter will be heard on 2nd April. In the previous hearing, the court had imposed an interim stay on the Allahabad High Court’s decision in this case.
Mukhtar Ansari was convicted by the Allahabad High Court for threatening a jailor in a matter from 2003. The High Court had sentenced him to seven years in this case. Mukhtar has approached the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court’s decision. Lucknow district jail jailor S K Awasthi had lodged an FIR with the Alambagh police, alleging that received threats by Mukhtar Ansari when he ordered searches of people who had come to meet Ansari.
Awasthi also alleged that Ansari had pointed a pistol at him and misbehaved with him. The High Court had convicted Ansari saying that his image was that of a dreaded criminal and mafia don, who had more than 60 cases of heinous crimes registered against him. Mukhtar has approached the Supreme Court against the Allahabad High Court’s decision. He wanted his sentence to be reduced. According to reports, at the time of the sentence in the High Court, Mukhtar sat holding the forehead with both hands and bowing his head. He also requested the judge that all his jail terms be allowed to serve simultaneously. Earlier, the court had sentenced Mukhtar Ansari to 10 years in the Krishnanand Rai murder case.
