Allahabad HC reserves verdict on MP Afzal Ansari's plea in Gangsters Act case

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday reserved its judgment on Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansaris criminal appeal challenging his four years sentence by a trial court in a Gangsters Act case linked to the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand RaiAs per the PTI report along with Ansaris plea the high court also heard petitions filed by the Uttar Pradesh government and Rais son Piyush Kumar Rai seeking enhancement of Ansaris sentenceJustice Sanjay Kumar Singh reserved his verdict after hearing both the sidesIf the high court upholds the trial court order Ansari who had won the Ghazipur seat on a Samajwadi Party ticket in Lok Sabh Polls this year will lose his membership of ParliamentAccording to the Representation of the People Act any MP or state legislator sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and remain disqualified for another six years after serving timeAnsari was convicted on April 29 2023 by an MPMLA court of Ghazipur The court sentenced him to four years jail and also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh in the Gangsters Act caseFollowing this Ansari was disqualified as MP said the PTI report Thereafter he filed the present criminal appeal before the high courtOn July 24 2023 the high court granted bail to the fivetime MLA and twotime MP but declined to stay his conviction in the case As a result though he was released from jail his membership of Parliament was not restoredLater the Supreme Court stayed his conviction as a result his membership of Parliament was restored and he also became eligible to contest the Lok Sabha elections The apex court had directed the high court to expedite the hearingGangster Abu Salem challenges prison transfer in Bombay High Court claims threat to lifeGangster Abu Salem has moved the Bombay High Court after a special court last month rejected his plea against the planned transfer from Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai to the Nashik Central Prison in Maharashtra claiming a threat to his life reported PTIAccording to the PTI Abu Salem sentenced to life imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case claimed that the decision to shift him out of the Taloja prison was a conspiracy to kill him as he is likely to be released in a few monthsAccording to the PTI report a division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Neela Gokhale denied hearing Salems petition on Wednesday without assigning any reasonThe petition will now be placed before another division bench reported PTIStating that the Taloja facility has been very safe for him Salem expressed apprehension that he may be attacked by members of rival gangs in other prisonsThe gangster stated the transfer at this stage was uncalled for and unwarranted and tainted with malafide intentionsAs reported by the PTI Salem stated he is currently facing trials in two cases in Delhi and has to keep travelling to the national capitalShifting him to another prison will affect his Delhi travel which could delay the trials against him the plea stated reported PTIAccording to the PTI report prison authorities had submitted to the special court that Salem needs to be shifted to Nashik Central Prison given that the highsecurity cell inside the Taloja prison is in shambles and needs urgent repairSalem reportedly contended that he could be shifted to any other barrack or safe place inside the Taloja facility which is very spacious and arrangements for the same can be madeIn June 2017 Salem was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case years after he was extradited from Portugal on November 11 2005