Allahabad HC adjourns hearing in criminal appeal of Afzal Ansari till May 27

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Afzal Ansari, the MP for Ghazipur, filed a criminal appeal on Thursday, contesting his conviction and four-year term in a Gangsters Act case by a trial court. The Allahabad High Court postponed the hearing to May 27.

Following the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishna Nand Rai, Ansari was charged under the Gangsters Act.

As a candidate for the Samajwadi Party, Ansari is vying for the Ghazipur Lok Sabha constituency. He won't be able to run for office if the high court sustains the decision made by the trial court. June 1st is election day in Ghazipur.

Ansari's attorneys wrapped up their arguments in the high court on Tuesday, according to a PTI report. The state government's attorneys and Piyush Rai's attorney, who is the son of the late Krishna Nand Rai, wrapped up their arguments on Thursday.

On May 27, the Ansari's attorneys will once more turn in their rebuttal response. Ansari was previously declared ineligible to serve as an MP after a special MP-MLA court in Ghazipur ruled on April 29, 2023, that he had been found guilty in the Gangsters Act case, given a four-year term, and fined Rs one lakh.

Ansari then appealed the criminal case to the high court. Ansari was granted bail by the high court on July 24, 2023, although his conviction in the case was not overturned. He was consequently freed from prison, but his status as a member of Parliament was not reinstated.

In addition, he was not eligible to run for office because the term he received was more than two years. Later on, Ansari's conviction in the case was upheld by the Supreme Court. As a result, he was able to run for the Lok Sabha and had his membership in Parliament reinstated. The criminal appeal that is currently before the high court is to be heard by the apex court as soon as possible, with a decision expected by June 30.

(With Inputs from PTI)