Supreme Court allows Abbas Ansari to join the 40th-day ritual of his late father Mukhtar Ansari virtually

In a recent order, the Supreme Court bench allowed MLA Abbas Ansari to join the 40th-day ritual of the death of his late father Mukhtar Ansari virtually via a video-conferencing facility. The bench comprising Justice KV Viswanathan and Justice Surya Kant directed the State of Uttar Pradesh to make necessary arrangements so that Ansari could attend the rituals virtually either in jail or in a secure location outside jail. The order reads, “it is directed that the petitioner shall be permitted to join the 40th-day ritual of his deceased father through online mode for which the State Government/Jail Authorities are directed to make necessary arrangements forthwith.” During the proceedings, the SC bench orally told Additional Advocate General Ms. Garima Prashad “This is not adversarial litigation. Treat this matter with some compassion. This man has lost his father. Now he himself is in conflict with the law. But this is not adversarial litigation.” The Court was informed by Advocate Mr. Nizam Pasha appearing for Abbas Ansari that Ansari’s family could hold private ceremonies in remembrance of the late Mukhtar Ansari as Abbas Ansari could not attend the funeral. Therefore, the bench asked Advocate Pasha to return on the next hearing date (May 08) with a timely request for attending other upcoming rituals. On March 28, 2024, Abbas Ansari’s father Mukhtar Ansari (gangster-turned-politician) died after suffering from cardiac arrest at Durgavati Medical College in Banda Uttar Pradesh.