Abbas Ansari disqualified from UP Assembly after conviction in hate speech case

Lucknow, June 1 (IANS) A day after being sentenced to two years in prison for a hate speech, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA, Abbas Ansari, son of dead mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, an official said on Sunday.

Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana declared Abbas Ansari's Mau Sadar constituency vacant and sent an intimation to the Election Commission of India to consider conducting a by-election.

On Saturday, a Mau court convicted Abbas Ansari in a hate speech case and sentenced him to two years in prison for offences including criminal intimidation, promoting enmity and undue influence in the election. He was granted temporary bail soon after the sentence.

The verdict was pronounced by Chief Judicial Magistrate K.P. Singh in the MP-MLA court at the District and Sessions Court, Mau, where Abbas Ansari was produced under tight security.

The case pertained to a speech delivered by Abbas during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

He had allegedly made provocative remarks at a public meeting, warning government officials that he would "settle scores and teach them a lesson" once his party came to power.

"I have told the Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav, that after the formation of the government, there will be no transfers or postings for six months. Everyone will remain where they are. First, there will be 'Hisab-Kitab', only then will transfers take place," he had said.

The statement was deemed threatening and inflammatory, prompting the Election Commission to impose a ban on his campaigning at the time. His speech went viral on social media.

Following this, a case was registered against him at Kotwali Nagar police station in 2022. During the trial, six witnesses deposed before the court.

Speaking to reporters, Abbas Ansari's counsel, Daroga Singh, said, "The Chief Judicial Magistrate has sentenced him to two years in the hate speech case. We will challenge this order in the Sessions Court. The impact on his MLA status will depend on the outcome of that appeal. Preparations are underway to move to the higher court."

The conviction adds to the legal troubles faced by the Ansari family, which has long been under scrutiny for its criminal-political nexus in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

--IANS

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