A special MP/MLA court in Varanasi on Monday sentenced Uttar Pradesh's gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari to life imprisonment in the 1991 murder case of Awadhesh Rai, the brother of a Congress leader, Ajay Rai.
Special judge Avanish Gautam awarded life sentence to Ansari after holding the accused guilty in the case.
Awadhesh Rai, the brother of former MLA Ajay Rai, was shot dead on August 3, 1991, outside his Lahurabir residence in Varanasi.
A case was registered against Mukhtar Ansari and others on a complaint by Ajay Rai.
Ansari has been a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar seat. He is currently lodged in Banda jail. He appeared before the court through video conferencing.
The FIR in the case was lodged by Ajay Rai after the incident on August 3, 1991.
Ansari, in his defence, submitted that the complainant and his deceased brother themselves faced a number of criminal cases. He claimed the incident could have been result of their rivalry with others. The court, however, said the evidence of a man of criminal antecedent can't be disregarded for this ground only.
It also rejected Ansari's contention that that the prosecution could not prove any motive of the offence.
The court said this argument was not tenable since if there has been no motive or enmity between the accused and the deceased, why would a false FIR would be lodged against the accused by the complainant.
