Prayagraj, August 20, 2025 – In a major win for former Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari, the Allahabad High Court today quashed his conviction in a 2022 hate speech case. This decision not only sets aside his two-year prison sentence but also paves the way for his return to the state assembly, avoiding a by-election in the Mau Sadar constituency. Ansari, son of the late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, had been fighting the case since his disqualification earlier this year.
The trouble started during the 2022 assembly elections when Ansari, running as a candidate for the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) from Mau Sadar, made controversial remarks at a rally in Paharpur. He was accused of threatening government officials, saying he would “settle scores” if his alliance came to power. This led to charges under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including promoting enmity between groups (Section 153-A), threatening public servants (Section 189), criminal intimidation (Section 506), and undue influence in elections (Section 171-F).
On May 31, 2025, a special MP-MLA court in Mau found him guilty and sentenced him to two years in jail, along with a fine of Rs 3,000. The next day, his assembly membership was revoked under the Representation of the People Act, which disqualifies lawmakers sentenced to two or more years. Ansari, who had won the seat comfortably, saw his political career hit a roadblock while already dealing with other legal battles, including a money laundering case.
He appealed the verdict to the Additional District and Sessions Judge in Mau, but on July 5, the court upheld the conviction while staying the sentence and granting bail. Not satisfied, Ansari took the matter to the Allahabad High Court, filing a revision petition to challenge the conviction itself. The High Court heard arguments on July 30 and reserved its judgment the next day.
Justice Sameer Jain delivered the ruling today, overturning the lower court’s decision entirely. While the exact reasons weren’t detailed in initial reports, the move has been hailed as a lifeline for Ansari’s political future. With the conviction gone, his disqualification is lifted, and he can resume his duties as MLA. This prevents the need for a bypoll in Mau Sadar, a seat long associated with the Ansari family, Mukhtar Ansari held it for decades before his death in jail last year.
Ansari’s legal team had argued that the speech was taken out of context and didn’t warrant such harsh punishment. Supporters see this as justice served, especially given his family’s history of facing multiple cases. Critics, however, point to his criminal record and family ties, questioning if this sets a worrying precedent.
This isn’t Ansari’s only brush with the law. He’s out on interim bail from the Supreme Court in a Gangsters Act case and recently approached the apex court to relax bail conditions after his disqualification. In March 2025, the Supreme Court granted him conditional bail in that matter after the High Court denied it. For now, Ansari, 32, can breathe easier and get back to representing his constituents.
