LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat has declared the Mau Sadar Assembly seat, represented by MLA Abbas Ansari, as vacant.
The decision comes a day after the Mau MP/MLA Court sentenced Ansari to two years in prison in a hate speech case lodged against him during 2022 UP Assembly elections.
In an unusual move, the Secretariat opened on Sunday to implement the court’s order.
Assembly Principal Secretary Pradeep Dubey officially ended Abbas Ansari’s membership and issued a notification declaring the seat vacant. A proposal for conducting a by-election in the Mau constituency was also sent to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer.
Sources said that the state government was keen on ensuring that the by-poll was held before the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.
The incident which led Ansari to two-year jail term dates back to March 3, 2022, when he, during a campaign rally at Pahadpur Ground in Mau, had allegedly said: "Those wielding batons today will be held accountable later. I have spoken to the future Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Bhaiyya. There will be no transfers or postings for six months after the government is formed. Everyone will have to answer for what they’ve done.”
Following the remarks, the Election Commission imposed a 24-hour campaign ban on him. On April 4, 2022, based on a complaint by then-Sub Inspector Gangaram Bind, an FIR was registered at the City Kotwali police station.
Abbas Ansari, his younger brother Umar Ansari, election agent Mansoor, and 150 unidentified individuals were booked.
Ansari was booked under Sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 171F (undue influence in elections), 186 (obstructing public servant), 89 (threatening public servant), 53A (promoting enmity), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.
Abbas Ansari was released from jail on March 21 this year after spending two years and 8 months behind bars in connection with money laundering and gangster-related charges.
Though the Supreme Court had granted him bail on March 7, the release order reached Kasganj Jail only 15 days later. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Ansari in November 2022, accusing him of being part of a criminal network and amassing wealth through illegal means.
The ED booked him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Gangsters Act. On February 11, 2023, Abbas’s wife Nikhat Ansari was caught meeting him inside Chitrakoot Jail without proper authorisation.
She was found in the jailer’s office with Abbas when the SP and DM arrived unexpectedly. Abbas was removed from the room moments before the surprise check.
Following the incident, Abbas was shifted from Chitrakoot Jail to Kasganj Jail on February 15, while Nikhat was kept in Chitrakoot Jail. She was eventually released after spending around 154 days in custody.