The Special MP-MLA Court in Varanasi on Monday awarded life sentence to former gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari for the murder of Awadhesh Rai, the brother of Congress leader Ajay Rai, more than 30 years ago.
Ajay Rai, president of the Prayagraj region of the Congress and brother of Awadhesh Rai, expressed his satisfaction with the verdict.
The incident occurred on August 3, 1991, when Awadhesh was shot down at the gate of his residence in Lahurabir, Varanasi. Ansari among others were named as accused in the case.
The trial for the murder of Awadhesh concluded on May 19 this year, and Special Court (MP-MLA) Judge Avanish Gautam reserved the order for June 5. On Monday, the court sentenced Ansari to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of `1.20 lakh. Presently incarcerated in Banda Jail, Ansari participated in the court proceedings via video conference.
Ansari has faced 61 criminal cases across different States, out of which he has been convicted in six. In April, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a court in Ghazipur under the Gangsters Act.
Strict security measures were put in place within the court premises during the announcement of the verdict. It was revealed during the June 2022 hearings that the original case diary was missing.
Despite extensive efforts, the original case diary could not be located. A case was registered against Ansari for allegedly using his influence to destroy the original copy of the case diary. The trial proceeded based on the Xerox copies of the original case diary.
In 2022, Ansari and one of his aides, Bhim Singh, were convicted by a Ghazipur court in a Gangsters Act case related to five matters, including the murder of Awadhesh Rai. Over the past year, Ansari has been convicted in four additional cases by different courts. However, this is the first time he has received a life sentence in any of the cases.
Ajay Rai expressed his satisfaction with the court’s verdict, stating, “This marks the end of our 32-year-long struggle against a notorious criminal. My parents, Awadhesh’s daughter, our entire family, and I remained patient... Governments came and went, and Mukhtar grew stronger. But we never gave up. Today, due to the efforts of our lawyers, the court has found Mukhtar guilty in the murder case of my brother.”
Ansari’s counsel requested the court to consider the convict’s age while pronouncing the judgment. The lawyer stated that they would appeal to a higher court after thoroughly reviewing the verdict.
When asked about the response from Ansari’s lawyer, Rai stated, “We will fight all the way to the Supreme Court. We fought for 32 years, and we will continue to do so.”
On the fateful day of August 3, 1991, Ajay Rai and his brother were standing at the gate of their house in the Chetganj police station area when assailants, including Mukhtar Ansari, arrived in a car and shot Awadhesh. Ajay Rai retaliated by firing from his licensed pistol, causing the assailants to flee, leaving behind the car.
