Supreme Court Confirms Bail for UP MLA Abbas Ansari in Gangsters Act Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed and regularised the interim bail previously granted to Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari in a case registered under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, took note of submissions by senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Nizam Pasha, representing the legislator, and formalised the relief that had allowed his temporary release from custody.

The case originated from an FIR filed on August 31, 2024, at Kotwali Karvi police station in Chitrakoot district, accusing Ansari and co-accused Navneet Sachan, Niyaz Ansari, Faraz Khan, and Shahbaz Alam Khan of extortion and assault. Ansari, son of the late gangster Mukhtar Ansari, was arrested under the Gangsters Act on September 6, 2024, following his initial detention in other criminal matters on November 4, 2022. The Supreme Court's intervention in March 2025 had granted him six-week interim bail, citing that he had already secured bail in all related cases except this one.

The March 2025 order facilitated Ansari's release from Kasganj jail and included specific conditions, such as restrictions on leaving Lucknow without permission from the investigating officer. Subsequently, the court relaxed certain conditions to accommodate practical requirements while maintaining oversight. The Allahabad High Court had earlier rejected his bail application in this matter on December 18, 2024, prompting the escalation to the apex court for relief.

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The bench's decision to confirm the interim bail underscores the judiciary's consideration of the accused's status in parallel proceedings and the absence of bail in only this specific charge under the stringent Gangsters Act. Legal arguments presented by Ansari's counsel emphasised these factors, leading to the regularisation of the temporary relief granted nearly a year prior.

This development marks a significant legal reprieve for the sitting MLA amid his prolonged entanglement in multiple criminal cases. With bail now secured across all pending matters, attention shifts to the ongoing investigation and trial proceedings in the Chitrakoot extortion and assault case, where the involvement of several co-accused continues to be examined by authorities.

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