Allahabad High Court Overturns Conviction of SP MP Afzal Ansari

The Allahabad High Court annulled a Ghazipur court's verdict that sentenced Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari to four years under the Gangsters Act. Justice S.K. Singh allowed Ansari's appeal, enabling him to retain his MP status. The court dismissed pleas for harsher sentencing by the UP government and Krishnanand Rai’s son.

The Allahabad High Court on Monday set aside a Ghazipur court order sentencing Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari to four years' imprisonment under the Gangsters Act, linked to BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai's 2005 murder.

Justice S.K. Singh's decision allows Ansari to continue his tenure as a member of Parliament.

The court dismissed appeals for a harsher sentence from the UP government and Krishnanand Rai's son, Piyush Kumar Rai.

Ansari’s acquittal from the 2005 conspiracy case was noted, and it was determined that the prosecution failed to prove charges beyond reasonable doubt.

The High Court's decision came after a Ghazipur MP-MLA court had convicted Ansari on April 29, 2023.

Following the conviction, Ansari was disqualified as an MP but had sought reprieve through a high court appeal.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed Ansari's conviction, restoring his parliamentary membership and permitting him eligibility for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The High Court’s ruling on his appeal, reserved since July 4, 2023, ultimately favored Ansari.