Ghazipur: A local court on Saturday sentenced gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari and his brother and BSP MP Afzal Ansari to imprisonment for 10 years and four years, respectively in a 2007 Gangsters Act case. “The court of Additional Sessions Judge/First MP-MLA Court Durgesh also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Mukhtar and Rs 1 lakh on Afzal,” ADGC Criminal Neeraj Srivastava said.
Afzal, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP from Ghazipur parliamentary constituency, was produced in the court, while his brother Mukhtar participated in the proceedings via video conferencing.
The verdict could lead to Afzal losing his Lok Sabha membership. According to the Representation of the People Act, any member will be disqualified if convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more.
On 22 November 2007, a case was filed under the Gangsters Act against the Ansari brothers at the Muhammadabad Kotwali police station.
On 23 September 2022, prima facie charges were framed against the two. After hearing the arguments of both the sides, the court reserved its decision which was pronounced Saturday.
Mukhtar is presently lodged in Banda jail.
—PTI