Gangster Turned Politician Mukhtar Ansari Awarded Life Sentence

A special MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh sentenced gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari to life in jail on Monday in connection with the 1991 Awadesh Rai murder case.
The case relates to the incident that occurred on August 3, 1991, when Awadhesh Rai, a Congress leader and the brother of former MLA Ajay Rai, was fatally shot outside of Ajay Rai’s Varanasi home.

Speaking about it, attorney Vikash Singh stated, “Ansari was presented before the court through video conference where the court convicted him under Sections 145 and 302.”
Meanwhile, Ajay Rai, reacting to the court’s judgment said, “Today, we have won after a 32-year-long battle. We welcome the verdict of the court…If anything happens to me the responsibility will lie on the BJP government.”
While awaiting the court to pronounce the quantum of sentence earlier, Rai had said, “We have faith in the judicial system. We hope he gets the maximum possible punishment. Mafia Mukhtar Ansari tried to tamper with the evidence several times.”
Following the presentation of arguments on May 19, the special court adjourned the hearing and set June 5 as the date to issue its order. Mukhtar Ansari, Bhim Singh, and former MLA Abdul Kalim were mentioned by Ajay Rai in the FIR in the case involving the murder of Awadesh Rai.

On May 17, the Ghazipur MP-MLA Court exonerated Mukhtar Ansari of all charges related to a plot to commit murder in the district of Mohammadabad, Uttar Pradesh.

In 2009, Mir Hasan charged Ansari with trying to kill someone in violation of IPC Sec. 120B. At the Mohammadabad Police Station in Ghazipur, Ansari had a case filed against him under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).