By
Rajesh Pandey
The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail application of Abbas Ansari, MLA from Mau in a criminal case registered under the Gangsters’ Act at Police Station Kotwali Karvi of Chitrakoot district.
Rejecting the bail application of Abbas Ansari, Justice Samit Gopal observed, “It is evident that the applicant has sought bail in a case lodged against him under the Gangsters Act in which he has been shown as a gang leader of a gang. Four other members of the gang are stated to be active members. The gang is a duly registered gang with the government within the district.”
“The applicant has criminal antecedents and there are, in all eleven cases, including the present case against him. The cases are of various natures including offences under PMLA. The nature of the case is such that even officers of jail facilitated his wife and driver to spend time privately with him in their office which was against the law, and rules.”, observed the court.
“The status of the applicant-accused as an MLA does not call upon him to indulge in criminal activities and acts against law, rules, and procedure. The investigation in the present matter is pending in which evidence is yet to be collected, after which it shall conclude. There are good chances of the applicant tempering with the investigation”, the court added.
“There are also good chances of the applicant of repetition of offense looking to the criminal antecedents as reported against him which show his involvement in various cases. The involvement in various cases poses a potential threat to the life and liberty of witnesses and the public, ” added the court in his order dated December 18.
The court relied on a Supreme Court order in the Sudha Singh case and quoted part of the order: “There is no doubt that liberty is important, even that of a person charged with a crime but the courts need to recognize the potential threat to the life and liberty of victims/witnesses if such accused is released on bail.”