Supreme Court grants bail to Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Uttar Pradesh Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Abbas Ansari in connection with an arms license case [Abbas Ansari vs State of Uttar Pradesh]..A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta said that Abbas Ansari deserves to be set at liberty given the period of incarceration and keeping in mind the offences alleged."We do not propose to observe anything on merits as it would prejudice the case. Taking into account the period of incarceration and the offences alleged, the petitioner is to be enlarged on bail subject to terms and conditions as set by the trial court," the bench directed..Ansari, who is the son of convicted gangster Mukhtar Ansari, is accused of having acquired multiple firearms. A first information report (FIR) was lodged against him in the matter in October 2019.It was alleged that he transferred the license from Lucknow to Delhi without informing the relevant police station. He was alleged to have continued using licences from two different States under distinct identity cards.The FIR said that after his gun license from Lucknow became invalid in October 2015, he obtained a new license in New Delhi in June 2017 and purchased a total of seven firearms..In November 2023, the Allahabad High Court refused to grant bail to Ansari in the matter, Single-judge Justice Subhash Vidyarthi of the High Court observed that huge quantities of arms and ammunition were recovered from Ansari's house in New Delhi. He noted that "metal jacketed" bullets were recovered from Ansari's residence, which was not permitted to be used by a shooter. The High Court further observed that Ansari had a criminal history and has been involved in eight cases.Ansari then moved the top court.The Supreme Court had in January sought the response of the Uttar Pradesh government. .When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, the counsel for Ansari pointed out that he has been in jail since November 2022. It was submitted that no oral evidence is required in the case and the chargesheet stands filed. Further, he has been falsely implicated in the case, it was argued.The counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government alleged that Ansari had threatened to kill police and jail officials."We know about the Uttar Pradesh Police. In another matter ... hearing was at 10.30 and at 3 am they made a police diary entry saying accused is not cooperating," Justice Gavai then remarked.The bench then made some queries as to how his family members were reportedly allowed inside his prison cell/barracks."What kind of behaviour this is (in jail)? Why did you let her (his wife) in? What kind of system you have in prison? If you let them in, have they (police) been suspended," the Court asked.It eventually proceeded to grant Abbas Ansari bail..Abbas Ansari's plea before the top court was filed through advocate Anjali Jha Manish. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Abbas Ansari. Additional Advocate Genera Garima Prashad appeared for the State of Uttar Pradesh.