Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari has been handed a life sentence in a decades-old case involving fake gun licenses. The special MP-MLA court delivered its verdict on Tuesday, March 12, and scheduled the pronouncement of the sentence for March 13.

Ansari, who is currently incarcerated in Banda Jail, appeared in court proceedings via video conference. The decision was made by Judge Awanish Gautam in the presence of district government counsel Vinay Singh.

The case against Ansari dates back to December 1990 when he was accused of forging arms licenses, as reported by the news.. Charges were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act at Mohammadabad police station in Ghazipur district.

Police records indicate that Ansari faces about 60 pending cases across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and New Delhi. He has previously been convicted in at least seven cases.

The specific incident related to fake gun licenses occurred in 1987 when Ansari applied for a double-barrel gun license, allegedly using forged signatures of district officials. The fraud was uncovered in 1990, leading to a complaint by the CB-CID and subsequent legal action.

The case progressed over the years, with the charge sheet being filed in 1997 against Ansari and others involved. Testimonies from 10 witnesses were recorded during the prosecution.

Mukhtar Ansari, a relative of former Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, has a controversial background. Despite his criminal record, he has been elected as an MLA from the Mau constituency in Uttar Pradesh five times. Notably, he secured victory on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket led by Mayawati.

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