Supreme Court adjourns hearing on Abbas Ansari's bail application in illegal prison visit case

New Delhi, September 4 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a bail petition filed by Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MP Abbas Ansari in connection with the illegal prison visit case.

Abbas Ansari, the eldest son of late gangster and politician Mukhtar Ansari, was caught illegally meeting his wife Nikhat in prison in collusion with the prison officials while incarcerated in Chitrakoot Jail.

A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant scheduled the hearing of the case for September 9 after the Uttar Pradesh government sought an adjournment.

“Deputy Attorney General (ASG) KM Natraj is in personal trouble. He is not in Delhi. The counter affidavit has already been filed. He will approach the court and the matter may be adjourned to Monday,” said a lawyer appearing on behalf of the state government.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Abbas Ansari, feared that his client might be re-charged under the Gangster Act to prevent his release on bail.

“I am out on bail in all cases. There are only two cases left. This one (wrongful visit to prison) and one pending before Justice MM Sundresh (bail application in a money laundering case). If I am out on bail in both cases, I will be arrested under the Gangster Act. That is what will happen,” he argued.

The court, also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, on July 25 agreed to consider the bail application of the MP from Uttar Pradesh's Mau district and sought a response from the state government within four weeks.

In early May, the Allahabad High Court had refused to release Abbas Ansari on bail, taking into account his “profile and background and family history”.

Justice Jaspreet Singh said, “The petitioner is a member of the Legislative Assembly. He is a person who holds a position of responsibility and represents the public. His conduct must be of a higher standard than that of other ordinary persons of the society. The members of the Legislative Assembly are also the legislators and, contrary to that, it is not appropriate that a legislator should be considered a lawbreaker.”

In February last year, Nikhat Bano visited her husband in Chitrakoot jail and was found in a raid by the district administration with two mobile phones, Rs 21,000 in cash and 12 Saudi riyals. She was arrested for, among other things, an “illegal meeting” with her husband in the jail, which was a violation of prison rules. Abbas Ansari was subsequently shifted to Kasganj jail by the Uttar Pradesh government. In this case, the state police had also arrested prison officials who had allegedly facilitated meetings between the husband and wife in exchange for cash.