Big relief for Abbas Ansari as Allahabad HC quashes conviction in hate speech case, restores MLA status

Prayagraj, Aug 20 (IANS) In a major relief for Mau MLA Abbas Ansari, the son of late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday set aside his conviction in a 2022 hate speech case and paved the way for the restoration of his membership of the Assembly.

On May 31, the MP-MLA Special Court in Mau sentenced Abbas to two years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine for making an inflammatory speech during the 2022 Assembly elections. His election agent, Mansoor, was awarded six months’ imprisonment, while Abbas’s younger brother, Umar, was acquitted. Both Abbas and Mansoor were fined Rs 2,000 each.

The hate speech case dates back to March 3, 2022, during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign, when Abbas Ansari, then a candidate from Mau Sadar, allegedly made inflammatory remarks targeting government officials.

A video of his speech went viral, prompting a complaint by Inspector Gangaram Bind and the subsequent filing of an FIR at Mau Kotwali police station.

In his speech, Ansari had reportedly said that if Akhilesh Yadav’s government came to power in Uttar Pradesh, officials would be held accountable before being transferred.

The Election Commission took cognisance of the remarks and initiated action.

Following the conviction, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Secretariat promptly invoked Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, declaring Abbas’s membership terminated on June 1. The Secretariat had also forwarded a recommendation to the Election Commission for conducting a by-election.

Abbas challenged the order before the District Judge, Mau, but his appeal was dismissed on July 5. He then moved to the Allahabad High Court, seeking the quashing of the conviction and restoration of his MLA status.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the High Court reserved its decision on July 30. On Wednesday, the court ruled in Abbas’s favour, staying his sentence and overturning the conviction.

Advocate Upendra Upadhyay represented Abbas in the High Court proceedings. Speaking to IANS, he said: "The High Court said that the Session Court’s decision was wrong. The High Court stayed the conviction by the Sessions Court. Now, as a result, his membership of the Assembly will be restored."

--IANS

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