LI Network
Published on:17 July 2023 at 14:07 IST
The Supreme Court of India has granted anticipatory bail to Umar Ansari, the son of incarcerated gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in an evacuee property case.
The apex court bench, comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and M.M. Sundresh, issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government regarding Umar Ansari’s plea, which challenges an order passed by the Allahabad High Court.
Umar Ansari had approached the Supreme Court seeking anticipatory bail after the Allahabad High Court dismissed his plea on April 13. The high court ruling had also dismissed a similar plea filed by Abbas Ansari, another son of Mukhtar Ansari and a legislator from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). Abbas Ansari’s plea sought the quashing of the charge sheet in the same evacuee property case.
The evacuee property case pertains to properties allegedly belonging to the Ansari family that were acquired after the partition of India in 1947. These properties are categorized as evacuee properties under the Evacuee Property Act, 1950, which deals with the management and administration of properties left behind by individuals who migrated to Pakistan during partition.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant anticipatory bail to Umar Ansari implies that he will be protected from arrest in connection with the evacuee property case unless compelling circumstances arise.
The bench’s notice to the Uttar Pradesh government signifies that the state will have an opportunity to respond to Umar Ansari’s plea and present its arguments before the court.
Mukhtar Ansari, a prominent figure in Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape, is currently serving a prison sentence in connection with various criminal cases. His sons’ involvement in the evacuee property case has drawn attention, leading to legal proceedings and their subsequent pleas for anticipatory bail.