Mukhtar Ansari gets life term: All you need to know about the 1991 Awadhesh Rai murder

Jailed mafia Mukhtar Ansari was convicted in the 1991 Awadhesh Rai murder case on Monday, June 5. Ansari, a gangster-turned-politician, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Awadhesh Rai, a Congress leader, was shot dead on August 3, 1991 at the gates of his Lahurabir residence in Varanasi. A case was registered against Mukhtar Ansari and others. Reacting to the verdict, Awadhesh Rai's brother and senior Congress leader Ajay Rai said, "This is the end of our 32-year struggle against a notorious criminal. I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience... Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself." 

Mukhtar Ansari faces 61 criminal cases in different states. With Monday's conviction, Ansari has now been convicted in six crimes. In April this year, Mukhtar Ansari was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a Ghazipur court under the Gangsters Act, or the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986. 

Along with life imprisonment, the MP/MLA court's special judge imposed a fine of Rs 1.20 lakh on him, a lawyer told reporters outside the court. Ansari attended the court proceeding from Banda jail through video conference.

What happened to Awadhesh Rai? 

On August 3, 1991, Ajay Rai and his brother Awadhesh were standing at the gate of their house in Varanasi when some assailants, including Ansari, came there in a car and shot Awadhesh. Ajay Rai fired from his licensed pistol in retaliation, following which the assailants fled, leaving the car.  Awadhesh was rushed to a hospital in Kabirchaura, where doctors declared him dead, Press Trust of India reported. 

Who is Ajay Rai? 

Awadhesh Rai's brother Ajai Rai was BJP MLA thrice, winning the Kolsala assembly constituency from 1996 to 2007. He won the 2009 Assembly bypolls from the same seat as an Independent candidate. He won the 2012 assembly elections from the Pindra seat on a Congress ticket.

Rai was the Congress candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi against Narendra Modi and was placed in the third position after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. He lost the 2017 assembly polls as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Three things you need to know about Mukhtar Ansari 

• Ansari is a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat. He did not contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. His son, Abbas Ansari, won the seat that year from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, which had tied up with the Samajwadi Party.  

• "A total of 61 cases are pending against Mukhtar Ansari in Uttar Pradesh," according to UP Police's Special Director General, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar. Kumar said the cases are registered in Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Sonbhadra, Agra, Lucknow, Barabanki, Mau, Azamgarh and other districts.  "Ansari has so far been convicted in six cases -- two each in Ghazipur and Lucknow, and one each in New Delhi and Varanasi," Kumar said.

• On April 29, a Ghazipur court sentenced Ansari to 10 years in prison and his brother Afzal Ansari to a four-year jail term in a 2007 case under the Gangsters Act for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanad Rai. 

How has Mukhtar Ansari reacted to his conviction 

Mukhtar Ansari's lawyer, who had urged the court to consider the convict's age while pronouncing the judgement, said they would appeal in a higher court after going through the verdict. Ansari is said to be 59 years old. 

Asked about the remarks of Ansari's lawyer, Ajay Rai said, "We will fight up to the Supreme Court. We fought for 32 years and we will continue to do so."

(With inputs from PTI)