HC accepts 3 state appeals

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has accepted state government’s appeals against acquittal of mafiosi turned MLA Mukhtar Ansari by the MP-MLA court in three cases.

The MP-MLA court had acquitted Ansari in three cases in December 2020.

Last week, a division bench of Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Rajeev Singh accepted the state government’s three different appeals challenging the acquittal of Ansari by the MP-MLA court.

The high court has also ordered to produce all files related with the cases.

During virtual hearing, the state government’s counsel argued that a witness had recorded his statements during trial in MP-MLA court which were enough for Ansari’s conviction. But the court ignored the witness’s account.

In another case related with the Gangster Act, the state government’s counsel argued that the MP-MLA court did not scrutinize documents related with the case properly. This resulted in Ansari’s acquittal, said the lawyer.

Accepting the state government’s appeals, the high court has issued notices to Ansari.

The court has fixed next hearing after three weeks.

“We pointed out to the high court several shortcomings in the judgment of the MP-MLA court.

The court has accepted all three appeals of the state government against Ansari’s acquittal and has issued notices to him,” said Vinod Shahi, additional advocate general, state government.

At present, Ansari is lodged in Banda prison. After spending more than two years in a Punjab prison, the gangster-turned politician was brought back to Banda prison on April 7 last.

A police team from Uttar Pradesh comprising a deputy Superintendent of Police, two inspectors, six sub-inspectors, 20 head constables, 30 constables and one unit of PAC brought back Ansari.

Ansari’s return to Banda jail was in compliance of the March 26 last order of the Supreme Court directing the Punjab government to handover his custody to the Uttar Pradesh government where he faced trials in several criminal cases.

Before being shifted out to Punjab jail two years ago, Ansari was lodged in Banda jail.

Ansari has been kept away from others in barrack number 15 and the security staff around him are said to be sporting body worn cameras.