The Supreme Court today granted bail to Member of Legislative Assembly Abbas Ansari in a money laundering case while asking him to move the Allahabad High Court for anticipatory bail in the Gangster Act case.
A Bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Pankaj Mithal granted bail to him in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), after his counsel, Kapil Sibal, submitted that no proceeds of crime have been recovered except a Ford Endeavour car and that predicate offence does not name him.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said that Ansari has represented India at international level as a sport shooter in shotgun shooting. Kabil Sibal said that the ED says that the MLA has brought Ford Endeavour car, if that is proceeds of crime, then take the car.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju contested the bail plea, and said that MLA Ansari has all the car and money as proceeds. He says that he has got money by doing work related to Sports authorities, the ASG continued, adding that the leader will hamper the trial.
Responding, Kabil Sibal asked to take the car from Ansari, urging not to keep the leader in jail unnecessarily. He added that the MLA has been in jail for over two years. Subsequently, the Court said that it was inclined to release Ansari, though it said it will not record anything on merits.
The Court remarked that they are inclined to set aside judgment and grant him bail subject to conditions imposed by trial court. The bench added that the trial court will impose conditions so that the accused cannot influence witnesses or tamper evidence.
Another Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan granted Ansari bail in a case involving allegations that his wife had been visiting him in jail without complying with the necessary formalities. Reportedly, the bail was granted in view of the chargesheet having been filed and also after taking into account the fact that he has been in jail for over a year.
The Bench noted that it had not expressed anything on the merits of the case and bail terms would be set by trial court. However, the same bench refused to grant him anticipatory bail in a Gangster Act case, which Ansari claimed was registered to frustrate his bail in other cases.
The top court Bench directed him to move the Allahabad High Court for the same, which is to dispose of the matter within four weeks, with liberty to move the Supreme Court again in case of delay.