High Court Overturns MP Afzal Ansari’s Conviction in 2005 Murder Case

The Allahabad High Court has overturned a Ghazipur court order that sentenced Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari to four years in prison under the Gangsters Act, related to the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. The decision allows Ansari to resume his duties as a member of Parliament.

The Allahabad High Court has nullified a Ghazipur court verdict that sentenced Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari to four years in jail under the Gangsters Act for the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.

Justice S K Singh approved Ansari's plea, allowing him to retain his position as a member of Parliament. The court also rejected appeals from the UP government and Krishnanand Rai's son, Piyush Kumar Rai, who sought a harsher sentence for the MP.

Earlier, the Ghazipur court had handed Ansari a four-year jail term on April 29, 2023, and imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine. Due to this conviction, Ansari was disqualified as an MP. However, a subsequent appeal to the high court resulted in bail, although his conviction remained until the Supreme Court intervened, restoring his Parliamentary membership.

(With inputs from agencies.)