Allahabad High Court Overturns Abbas Ansari's Conviction in 2022 Hate Speech Case

The Allahabad High Court has quashed the conviction of Abbas Ansari, son of Mukhtar Ansari, in a 2022 hate speech case. The decision reverses a two-year sentence and could lead to the restoration of Ansari's assembly membership. The case involved charges such as promoting enmity and criminal intimidation.

The Allahabad High Court quashed the conviction of Abbas Ansari, son of Mukhtar Ansari, in a 2022 hate speech case on Wednesday. The decision by Justice Samir Jain overturns a prior two-year sentence from a special MP MLA court in Mau, potentially paving the way for Ansari's return to the assembly.

Soon after the high court's decision, an unnamed assembly secretariat senior official stated that upon conviction cancellation, an appeal for the restoration of Ansari's House membership could be filed. Afzal Ansari, Abbas's uncle and Samajwadi Party MP, confirmed the plans to present the application for his assembly membership restoration.

Abbas was initially convicted under several IPC sections, including promoting enmity under Section 153-A and criminal intimidation under Section 506. His election agent, Mansoor Ansari, also faced a six-month sentence. Abbas had won the Mau seat in the 2022 assembly election by over 38,000 votes.

(With inputs from agencies.)