The Supreme Court of India has issued notice for a bail plea from Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari, charged under the Gangsters and Anti-Social (Prevention) Act. Ansari’s previous bail attempts have been denied. Allegations involve extortion and illicit communication via his wife during jail visits, with ongoing investigations resulting in multiple arrests.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday (Jan 31st) issued notice in a plea filed by Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari, who is seeking bail in a case registered against him under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social (Prevention) Act, 1986.
The case stems from an FIR filed under Sections 2 and 3 of the UP Gangsters Act, 1986, against Abbas Ansari and several others. The allegations state that they were involved in extortion and assault.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotishwar granted time to Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj, who appeared for the State of Uttar Pradesh, to file a counter affidavit.
At the outset of the hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Ansari, submitted:
“His wife went to meet him in jail, and your lordship had granted him bail in that case. Now, he is in Kasganj, and they claim that he is running a gang in Chitrakoot. This is shocking….the FIR has already been quashed.”
When Justice Kant inquired about the allegations in the present FIR, Sibal responded:
“They are the same as those in the previous FIR, which had been quashed. If someone simply moves around, they claim he is running a gang.”
However, ASG KM Nataraj submitted that he would take instructions and file a counter. He argued:
“The previous petition was not entertained, and he was asked to approach the High Court. The Allahabad High Court rejected his bail plea, and now he has come before this Court. This is a fresh matter, and I will need to file a counter.”
During the proceedings, Sibal also raised concerns about the state’s decision to discontinue video conferencing for Ansari’s trial. He stated:
“The request is that he has been attending the trial through video conferencing, but now they are telling him there will be no video conferencing, and that they will take him. This happens, milords…when people are taken, things happen….”
In response, the Supreme Court clarified that Ansari is at liberty to move the High Court regarding this issue. The bench further stated that if any such petition is filed, the High Court shall take it up urgently.
Notably, on October 18, 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed Ansari’s earlier plea for bail in the Gangsters Act case but granted him liberty to approach the High Court, urging a decision within four weeks.
Later, on December 19, 2024, the Allahabad High Court rejected Ansari’s bail plea, noting that the investigation was still ongoing and that he was currently in jail for this case.
Previously, on October 18, the Supreme Court granted bail to Abbas Ansari in two separate cases—one related to money laundering and the other concerning illegal meetings with his wife in jail.
However, Ansari has not yet secured bail in the Gangsters Act case.
Earlier, a bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan had also issued notice to the UP government in Ansari’s bail plea regarding illegal meetings with his wife in jail.
The FIR, registered on February 11, 2023, alleged that Ansari’s wife, Nikhat Ansari, had been visiting him in Chitrakoot jail, violating prison rules. She allegedly spent 3 to 4 hours inside the jail, and during these visits, Ansari was accused of using her phone to make calls and threaten people for extortion.
Other allegations include:
- Jail officials were bribed with cash and favors to allow Ansari’s wife unrestricted access.
- Plans were being made to stage an escape from the jail, with the involvement of Nikhat Ansari’s driver, Niyaz, and jail officials.
Upon a surprise inspection by the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Nikhat Ansari was found inside the room next to the Jail Superintendent’s office.
Following this incident, Abbas Ansari was transferred from Chitrakoot jail to Kasganj district jail. In connection with the case, seven people, including Nikhat Ansari, were arrested. However, on August 11, 2023, the Supreme Court granted bail to Nikhat Ansari.
With the Supreme Court now issuing notice in Abbas Ansari’s fresh bail plea, the UP government must file its response before the next hearing.
Case Title: ABBAS ANSARI v. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH, SLP(Crl) No. 1091/2025
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