Mukhtar Ansari, the notorious gangster-politician from Uttar Pradesh, had a long and tumultuous history with the law, facing over 60 criminal cases throughout his life. Despite his involvement in various criminal activities, including murder, terror, and extortion, his first conviction came remarkably late, in September 2022.
Coming from a family with a legacy of freedom fighters, politicians, and military personnel, Mukhtar Ansari entered the world of crime early on. His criminal journey began in 1978, with the first murder case registered against him in 1986. However, despite numerous trials before 2022, he had never been convicted until then.
The turning point came in September 2022 when the Allahabad High Court reversed a trial court's decision and sentenced Ansari to seven years in prison for threatening a jailer with a revolver in 2003. This marked the beginning of a series of convictions, including a recent life imprisonment sentence in a fake arms license case dating back to 1990.
Among the notable cases that tarnished Ansari's reputation were the murders of local politicians Krishnanand Rai and Awadhesh Rai, along with several others. Despite facing trials and being booked in multiple cases, Ansari managed to evade conviction until 2022.
In addition to murder charges, Ansari was also implicated in various other crimes, including threatening witnesses, involvement in organized crime syndicates, and using fake documents for personal gain. Despite the severity of the charges against him, witnesses often turned hostile or were found dead, complicating the legal proceedings.
Out of the numerous cases against him, Ansari was convicted in only eight, with his first conviction coming 44 years after the filing of his first case. This prolonged legal process has been criticized as a denial of justice to his victims, highlighting the flaws and delays in India's legal system.
