NEW DELHI: In a majority verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday suspended the conviction of former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Afzal Ansari in the 2007 Gangster Act case, paving the way for the restoration of his status as Lok Sabha MP.
The bench, however, in its order restrained Ansari, who was elected from the Ghazipur constituency of Uttar Pradesh, from voting in the Lok Sabha.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Surya Kant, and also comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan, made it clear that Ansari should not draw any perk but can attend the proceedings of the House.
Ansari, a five-time MLA and two-time parliamentarian, was disqualified as MP of the Lok Sabha on May 1, as he was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison in the case.
Ansari moved the apex court after the Allahabad high court refused to suspend his conviction in the case but granted him bail.