Allahabad High Court denies pre-arrest bail to Abbas Ansari in Arm License case

The Allahabad High Court last week 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.

Stressing that Abbas, whom a special MP-MLA Court on August 25 had declared an absconder, had been avoiding the process of the Court, the bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh refused to grant him the relief.

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).

However, moving Abbas's pre-arrest bail plea in the case, his counsel contended that he is targeted being son of Mukhtar Ansari for political reasons as the present dispensation is inimical to and hostile to his family.

His counsel claimed that Abbas did not commit any crime but he is being framed, and the State Government and the police are making him criminal by implicating him in several false and frivolous case.

On the other hand, the Additional Government Advocate while opping the plea stated that Abbas had as many as seven criminal cases, including the present one, to his credit and he concealed this information from the Court.

He further submitted that in the present case, Abbas did not answer to the summons, and bailable warrants and then the Magistrate had to issue non-bailable warrants against him thrice. He added that even after that when Abbas could not be arrested the court having no option, issued proclamation under Section 82 Cr.P.C. against him.

Considering the serious allegations against Abbas and his act of avoiding the process of court, Justice Singh did not find any ground to grant anticipatory bail and rejected his bail plea.

Case Title: Abbas Ansari v. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko.