Allahabad High Court sets aside Afzal Ansari's conviction, he can continue as MP

The court also dismissed pleas by the UP government and Piyush Kumar Rai, Krishnanand Rai's son, seeking enhancement of the Ghazipur MP's sentence.

Lucknow: In a major reprieve to Samajwadi Party (SP) Lok Sabha member and gangster turned politician Mukhtar Ansari's brother Afzal Ansari, the Allahabad High Court on Monday set aside the lower court order sentencing Afzal to four years imprisonment in a case under the Gangster's Act.

The court ruling came as a major reprieve for the SP LS member as his membership of the House will now remain intact. As per the rules, a member of the Parliament, state legislative assembly or the legislative council, who is convicted of a crime and given a minimum of two years' sentence, loses membership of the House.

A single bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh gave this ruling on a petition filed by Afzal challenging the decision of the Ghazipur district court sentencing him to four years' imprisonment in April last year.

The court had earlier reserved its verdict on July four.

Afzal, who was also a member in the 16th Lok Sabha from Ghazipur seat, had lost his membership after his conviction by the district court and had to spend some time in jail. His membership was later restored after the supreme court stayed his conviction and directed the HC to expedite hearing on his appeal.

The HC also rejected the plea by the UP government and PK Rai seeking enhancement of Afzal's conviction.