Allahabad HC Grants Bail To Abbas Ansari, Two Others In Land Grabbing & Extortion Case

In a recent decision, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Abbas Ansari, his uncle Atif Raza alias Sarjil Raza, and close associate Afroz in connection with a case involving allegations of land grabbing, death threats, and extortion.

The order, delivered by Justice Rajbir Singh, came after the court reserved its decision on August 1, following arguments from Abbas Ansari’s counsel Upendra Upadhyay and the government lawyer.

Despite securing bail, Abbas Ansari remains in custody due to a pending petition in the Supreme Court related to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) case against him.

The case stems from an FIR filed on 12 August 2023, by Abu Fakhar Khan at the Ghazipur city police station.

The FIR accuses mafia figure Mukhtar Ansari, his wife Afshan Ansari, their MLA son Abbas Ansari, and others, including Atif Raza and Afroz, of a series of serious offenses.

These include cheating, extortion, issuing death threats, and illegally acquiring land and money through coercion and conspiracy.

Case Background

According to the FIR, the incident dates back to 2012 when Mukhtar Ansari allegedly summoned Abu Fakhar Khan to Lucknow jail via his two sons, pressuring him to transfer a valuable piece of land near the Homeopathic Medical College to Abbas Ansari.

When Khan resisted, they allegedly threatened him with death if he didn’t comply.

The FIR alleges that under duress, they coerced Khan into signing a sale deed after he received a cheque for Rs 20 lakhs and Rs 4 lakhs in cash.

During the process, Afroz, Atif Raza, and Anwar Shahzad reportedly escorted Khan to Abbas Ansari, who allegedly brandished a pistol to compel Khan’s compliance. They withdrew large sums from Khan’s bank account and usurped the land.

Mukhtar Ansari’s wife, Afshan Ansari, is also implicated in the case.

Atif Raza remains in Lucknow jail, while Abbas Ansari is currently in Kasganj jail. Mukhtar’s elder brother-in-law, Anwar Shahzad, has already received bail in this matter.

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