Delhi HC to hear Mukhtar Ansari's parole case

The Delhi High Court to hear the parole issue of mafia turned politician Mukhtar Ansari, on Thursday.

The stay order was given by Justice Mukta Gupta following a plea from the Election Commission of India (EC) seeking cancellation of Ansari's parole. Ansari had secured parole from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on February 17 to campaign in his constituency Mau for the Uttar Pradesh state elections.

The EC had said that it feared Ansari's release may create law and order problems during elections. "If Ansari is allowed to campaign for the elections, he will have to be provided with eight gunners carrying AK-47 rifles. This will disturb the atmosphere of the elections," said Dayanand Krishnan, Election Commissioner. 

Ansari, accused of murdering Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai in November 2005, is facing trial before the CBI court in Delhi. 

Rai, MLA from Mohammadabad constituency, was gunned down along with six more persons in Bhanwarkol area in Ghazipur.

After Rai's wife moved court, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Delhi from Ghazipur district.