Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has announced that it would file an appeal against a Delhi-based CBI special court's order acquitting mafia and BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari, his brother and BSP MP Afzal Ansari and others accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad seat in Ghazipur, was shot dead in 2005 along with six aides.
A state government spokesperson said on Thursday night that the Chief Minister has taken cognizance of the verdict. It will examine the judgment and file appeal in the High Court, he added. The accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj, who considered various aspects of the case, including whether there was an enmity between Ansaris and Rai, held that when a contestant loses Assembly elections, "it will not result in enmity of such nature and enormity that he will think of murdering his opponent who defeated him".
Rai's wife Alka Rai, who had pleaded for a CBI probe, had also hinted at moving the high court. Alka Rai is presently an MLA from the Mohammadabad Assembly seat.
Besides the Ansari brothers, others acquitted in the case are Sanjeev Maheshwari, Eijazul Haq (brother-in-law of Ansaris), Rakesh Pandey, Ramu Mallah, Mansoor Ansari and Munna Bajrangi. Bajrangi, a dreaded criminal in Uttar Pradesh, who was murdered inside Baghpat jail last year.
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