Varanasi's dedicated court for legislators has imposed a life sentence on Mukhtar Ansari, the infamous figure who transitioned from criminal activities to politics, in connection with a fraudulent arms license case dating back 36 years. The court had previously found Ansari guilty and scheduled the sentencing for March 13.
Ansari, currently incarcerated in Banda jail, participated in the court proceedings via video link. The court, presided over by Special Judge Avnish Gautam, convicted him under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including mischief, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, as well as under the Arms Act.
The case originated when Ansari applied for a double-barrel gun license in 1987 using forged signatures of Ghazipur's district officials. The deception was uncovered in 1990, leading to a police complaint by the CB-CID and the subsequent registration of a case involving five individuals, including Ansari, at the Mohadabad police station in Ghazipur.
The charge sheet, filed in 1997, named Ansari and ordnance clerk Gaurishankar Srivastava, who passed away during the trial. Throughout the proceedings, testimonies from 10 witnesses were recorded.
Ansari is reportedly implicated in approximately 60 criminal cases across various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and New Delhi, and has been convicted in at least seven instances to date. The recent life sentence marks a significant chapter in the legal pursuit of justice against his long history of alleged criminal conduct.
