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Synopsis

The Supreme Court recently denied anticipatory bail to mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's son Abbas Ansari, a sitting Member of Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh from Mau constituency, in connection with an arms license case.

A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Vikram Nath dismissed the plea filed against the Allahabad High Court, wherein the High Court while denying interim bail had noted that Abbas, whom a special MP-MLA Court on August 25 had declared an absconder, had been avoiding the process of the Court.

In the present case, it has been alleged that Abbas got his arms license issued by the District Magistrate, Lucknow transferred to New Delhi without giving any prior information to the authorities at Lucknow. The allegations are that Abbas's intention was to illegally buy and use firearms.

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered in October 2019 under Sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 IPC and Section 30 Arms Act. As per the FIR, a license was issued to Abbas in the year 2012 for a 12-bore DBBL Gun by the authorities at Lucknow which was transferred and registered to Abbas's Delhi address on an application given by him. Abbas got seven more weapons endorsed on the said license, claiming himself to be a renowned shooter.

As per the prosecution case, as many as 4431 cartridges were recovered from Abbas's possession by the police and many of these cartridges were metal jacketed. The prosecution counsel argued that as a shooter, keeping the metal jacketed cartridges for shooting purposes, is against the law and against the standard prescribed by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, Senior Advocate and Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad, AOR Ruchiral Goel, Advocates Priyanka Swami, and Adit Jayeshbhai Shah appeared for the Uttar Pradesh Government. 

It may be noted that the High Court did not find any ground to grant anticipatory bail and rejected Ansari's bail plea considering the serious allegations against Abbas and his act of avoiding the process of court.

Case Title: ABBAS ANSARI Vs. THE STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH