Abbas Ansari's hate speech conviction quashed, assembly seat to be restored

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday quashed the conviction of Mukhtar Ansari’s son Abbas Ansari in a 2022 hate speech case.

Justice Samir Jain set aside a special MP MLA court order sentencing him to two years’ rigorous imprisonment.

The special court in Mau convicted Abbas and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment in the speechcase on May 31.

Abbas moved the appellate court which rejected his challenge on July 5 following which he moved the high court for the relief.

The cancellation of conviction increases the possibility of Abbas’s assembly membership being restored.

A senior official of the assembly secretariat said on the condition of anonymity in case the conviction is cancelled, an appeal can be made for restoration of the membership of the House.

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Abbas’s uncle and Samajwadi Party MP from Ghazipur, Afzal Ansari, told PTI that since the high court has quashed the conviction and the petition against the sentence is pending in the local court of Mau, the application for restoration of Abbas’s assembly membership will be presented before the assembly speaker.

He was punished under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity among different groups) and 189 (threat of injury to a public servant), Section 506 (criminal intimidation) and Section 171F (undue influence or personation at an election) of IPC.

He was also slapped with a Rs 2,000 fine.

Abbas’ election agent, Mansoor Ansari, who was present on stage during the speech, was also convicted in the case and sentenced to six months in jail.

The then MLA of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party from Mau Sadar assembly constituency allegedly threatened state government officials of consequences if Samajwadi Party came to power after the 2022 assembly election.

“I have told Akhilesh bhaiya (former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav) that after formation of the government, there will be no transfer or postings of bureaucrats for six months. Everyone will remain where they are.

First there will be hisab-kitab (scores to be settled), only then will transfer take place,” he allegedly said in the speech.

He won the 2022 assembly election by over 38,000 votes from the Mau seat.

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