Mukhtar Ansari's MLA son Abbas sentenced to two-year jail in hate speech case

Abbas Ansari, SBSP MLA, faces disqualification after conviction for hate speech, sentenced to two years in prison.

Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari, son of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in a 2022 hate speech case by a special MP-MLA court on Saturday.

In the wake of his conviction and sentencing, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA from the Mau Sadar seat could face disqualification from the Assembly.

Also Read | Supreme Court grants interim bail to U.P. MLA Abbas Ansari

According to the prosecution, during the last Assembly elections, Abbas Ansari, who was contesting as an SBSP candidate from the Mau Sadar seat, had threatened the Mau administration during a public meeting at Paharpur ground on March 3, 2022, saying he will "settle scores and teach them a lesson" after the elections.

Defence lawyer Daroga Singh told PTI videos that Ansari was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 189 (threat to cause harm to public servant), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion, caste, place of birth, residence and language and spoiling the harmony), 171F (undue influence in election) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Mr. Singh said that after hearing both sides, special MP/MLA court Judge K P Singh convicted Abbas Ansari on Saturday and sentenced him to two years each under sections 189 and 153-A, one year under section 506 and six months imprisonment under section 171-F. All the sentences will run simultaneously. Ansari has also been fined Rs 2,000.

He said that this order of the special court will now be challenged in the sessions court. At present, Abbas Ansari has got temporary bail.