NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed for three days the custody parole granted to Uttar Pradesh legislator Mukhtar Ansari by a trial court for canvassing in the State Assembly polls in which he is also contesting.
Justice Mukta Gupta passed the order, staying the custody parole until February 20, after the Election Commission (EC) moved the High Court seeking cancellation of his parole on the ground that he may influence witnesses in the 2005 murder case of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai, in which he is facing trial.
The poll panel submitted that the accused was a serious threat to the society and hence the trial court's order of Thursday granting him parole should be stayed immediately.
Ansari, whose Qaumi Ekta Dal merged with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ahead of the State Assembly polls , was to contest from the Mau Assembly Constituency in UP, and was granted custody parole till March 4, enabling him to campaign in the elections.
Ansari, who has been elected from the Mau constituency for a record four times, had submitted that he was granted parole to contest polls earlier too and had never misused it.
Staying Ansari's release, the high court said it will take up the matter on February 20, by when the accused should file his response to the poll panel's plea.
The 2005 murder case was transferred from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi by the Supreme Court in 2013 on a plea filed by Alka Rai, wife of Krishnanand Rai.
Ansari, who is presently lodged in Lucknow jail, has over 40 criminal cases against him, including murder and kidnapping.