1991 Awdhesh Rai Murder Case: Varanasi Court Convicts Ex-UP MLA Mukhtar Ansari, Sentences Him To Life Imprisonment

Special Judge (MP/MLA) Avneesh Gautam convicted him today after a hearing in the case concluded on May 19. He has been sentence to life imprisonment. A fine of Rs. 1 lakh has also been imposed upon him.

It may be noted that on August 3, 1991, Congress leader and brother of Former MLA Ajay Rai, Awadhesh Rai was gunned down in broad daylight outside Ajay Rai's house in Varanasi. In this case, Ajay Rai had named Mukhtar Ansari, Bhim Singh, former MLA Abdul Kalim, Kamlesh Singh, and Rakesh in the FIR.

During the hearing of the case, in June 2022, the original case diary went missing. Despite best efforts to look out for the case diary from Varanasi to Prayagraj, the same could not be found. Police have already registered a case in this matter wherein Ansari has been accused of using his influence to destroy the same.

Last year, a Court in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur District convicted Ansari and his aide (Bhim Singh) in the Gangster Act case registered under 5 matters including the Awdhesh Rai Murder case.