SP MLA arrested, sent to 14-day judicial custody in 1995 case

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Rafiq Ansari, a Meerut MLA for the Samajwadi Party, was detained by police on Monday for failing to appear before the Allahabad High Court despite having non-bailable warrants issued against him in a 1995 case, according to officials.

According to a PTI report, Ansari was taken into custody from the Zaidpur region of the Barabanki district and brought before an MP/MLA court here, where he was sentenced to 14 days in judicial custody. According to Ayush Vikram Singh, Superintendent of Police (City), Ansari has been "missing" for a few days, and searches are being carried out to locate him. The high court issued many non-bailable warrants against him, but he failed to show up for court, according to the SP.

In 1995, the Civil Lines police station in this city filed a charge against Ansari under Section 427 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with mischief causing damage up to fifty rupees. The MLA who was detained was charged with obstructing traffic and inflicting property damage.

Ansari was to be taken into custody and brought before the high court, per its ruling. According to Singh, police had assembled a team to apprehend the SP MLA.

Another police officer said Ansari was produced before the MP/MLA court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nadeem Anwar under tight security around 9 pm. The court sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

The criminal proceedings against Ansari were not set aside by the high court earlier this month, citing his non-appearance before the trial court despite the issuance of approximately 100 non-bailable orders against him between 1997 and 2015.

(With Inputs from PTI)