On Monday, the Allahabad High Court annulled a Ghazipur court's decision sentencing Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari to four years' imprisonment under the Gangsters Act for the 2005 murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.

Justice S K Singh's ruling in favor of Ansari's appeal against the conviction allows him to remain a Member of Parliament.

The court also rejected the Uttar Pradesh government and Piyush Kumar Rai's requests to increase Ansari's sentence. Initially, on April 29, 2023, a Ghazipur MP-MLA court convicted Ansari, sentencing him to four years in prison and a ₹ 1 lakh fine. This conviction led to Ansari's disqualification as an MP, prompting him to appeal to the high court.

Under the Representation of the People Act, any MP or state legislator sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more is disqualified from the date of conviction and remains so for six years after serving their sentence. Despite being granted bail by the high court on July 24, 2023, Ansari's conviction was not stayed, meaning his parliamentary membership was not immediately restored. However, the Supreme Court later stayed his conviction, reinstating his parliamentary membership and enabling him to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Supreme Court also directed the high court to expedite the hearing of Ansari's appeal, with the high court's judgment being reserved on July 4. Earlier this year, Afzal Ansari's brother, Mukhtar Ansari, passed away