The Supreme Court granted Abbas Ansari the opportunity to attend his father’s last rites virtually. The Division Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Viswanathan directed the State of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that Abbas Ansari is provided with the necessary arrangements to attend the religious ceremony virtually.
NEW DELHI: (On May 7th): The Supreme Court allowed the Uttar Pradesh Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Abbas Ansari, to participate in a religious ceremony commemorating the 40th day since the passing of his father, Mukhtar Ansari. The court ruling allows Abbas Ansari to join the ceremony via video conference, either from jail or a secure location outside of jail.
READ ALSO: BREAKING | SC Grants Bail to Abbas Ansari for Attendance at Mukhtar Ansari’s ‘Fatiha’
The Division Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Viswanathan directed the State of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that Abbas Ansari is provided with the necessary arrangements to attend the religious ceremony virtually.
“This isn’t about adversaries in court. Show some compassion. He’s lost his father, and now he’s entangled in legal matters. But this isn’t about fighting in court.” Justice Kant conveyed to Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad, representing the state, the need for empathy.
The court scheduled the matter for further hearing on the following day after advocate Nizamuddin Pasha informed the court about Ansari’s family’s intention to organize private ceremonies in remembrance of his late father, considering his inability to attend the funeral.
The court instructed Pasha and the advocates representing Ansari, namely Lzafeer Ahmad BF, Sidharth Kaushik, and Awstika Das, to return on the next hearing date with a timely request if Ansari wished to participate in any upcoming rituals or ceremonies.
Background
Abbas Ansari, son of convicted criminal Mukhtar Ansari, faces controversy for allegedly acquiring firearms improperly. The case against him was initiated with a first information report (FIR) in October 2019, which detailed that Ansari allegedly transferred his gun license from Lucknow to Delhi without the requisite notification to the concerned police authorities. Furthermore, he is accused of using licenses from two different states under separate identities.
The FIR disclosed that despite Ansari’s Lucknow gun license expiring in October 2015, he obtained a new one in New Delhi by June 2017, purchasing seven firearms afterward. In November 2023, the Allahabad High Court denied bail due to the discovery of weapons and ammunition, including “metal jacketed” bullets, at Ansari’s New Delhi residence, raising concerns about his involvement in illegal activities, given his history of eight cases.
Despite these allegations, Ansari’s legal team moved to the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court’s decision. During the proceedings, Ansari’s counsel argued that he has been unjustly implicated and highlighted his prolonged detention since November 2022. They contended that the case required no oral evidence and that the chargesheet had already been filed.
Te counsel representing the Uttar Pradesh government presented a different narrative, accusing Ansari of issuing threats to kill police and jail officials. This accusation prompted Justice Gavai to express concerns about the conduct of the Uttar Pradesh Police, referencing a separate incident to illustrate potential misconduct within the force.
Prior to this ruling, the Supreme Court had allowed Abbas Ansari to attend the ‘Fatiha’ ceremony of Mukhtar Ansari, subject to strict conditions. The court has been considerate of Ansari’s circumstances and has granted him opportunities to participate in significant events despite his current legal situation.
Read Previous Reports on Abbas Ansari
Read Previous Reports on Mukhtar Ansari
Case Title: Abbas Ansari v. Union of India and Another
