Model Code Violation Case: Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Umar Ansari

Today (May 06, 2024), the Supreme Court (SC) of India granted anticipatory bail to Umar Ansari son of late gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari in a model code violation case. It was alleged that he and other accused threatened the District Mau Administration and violated the model code of conduct during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The bench constituting Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra said “Having regard to the circumstances and particularly the fact that the offending statement is not attributed to the petitioner but to his brother (Abbas Ansari) during Assembly Election time and having considered that the co-accused have been granted bail…we deem it fit to grant relief in the present matter.”

In this case, an FIR was lodged against Abbas Ansari, Umar Ansari, Mansoor Ahmad Ansari, and other unknown people under Sections 171-F, 186, 189, 153-A, 120-B, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Earlier on January 25, the SC granted ad-interim protection to Umar Ansari from arrest. The matter was presented before the top court by Ansari against the decision of the Allahabad High Court that refused to grant anticipatory bail to him. During today's proceedings, Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad appeared for the State of UP and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appeared for Umar Ansari. After hearing the contentions of both sides, the top court granted anticipatory bail to Umar Ansari and directed that he should be released on bail after furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 20,000.