NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday relaxed several bail conditions imposed on Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari in a case under the UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The adjustments will allow Ansari to stay at his Ghazipur residence when he visits his Mau constituency.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh took on record a confidential status report from the UP government and amended its March 7 interim bail order. Under the revised terms:
Ansari may spend up to three consecutive nights at his home in Ghazipur during constituency visits.
He must refrain from attending any political gatherings or public meetings while on such stays.
He remains barred from leaving Uttar Pradesh without prior court permission and must continue to notify police a day before appearing in any court hearings.
Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, representing the state, drew the court’s attention to Ansari’s repeated non-appearances at scheduled hearings. Justice Kant observed that stringent bail conditions might have contributed to Ansari missing court dates.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, for Ansari, countered that the MLA had neither left his official Lucknow residence nor visited Mau—some 350 km away—in the past six months. Sibal explained that Ghazipur, just 40 km from Mau, would serve as a practical overnight lodging for constituency work. “How can I visit my constituency and return the same day?” he asked.
Originally granted six weeks’ interim bail on March 7, Ansari secured his release from Kasganj Jail—where he was already out on bond in other prosecutions—once the Supreme Court’s order took effect. The court also permitted him to file a response to the state’s confidential report regarding his compliance. Ansari was first arrested under various criminal charges on November 4, 2022, and subsequently booked under the Gangsters Act on September 6, 2024.
A fresh FIR was registered on August 31, 2024, in Chitrakoot district, accusing him and four associates of extortion and assault.
In January, citing fears for his safety, Ansari sought to appear virtually in trial proceedings—a request the Supreme Court declined for lack of formal application, directing him instead to approach the high court. His earlier bail petition was rejected by the Allahabad High Court on December 18, 2024.Friday’s order paves the way for Ansari to balance his legislative duties in Mau with ongoing legal obligations, subject to the court’s oversight and the stipulated restrictions.