Prayagraj, Jul 25 (IANS): The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to former BSP MP Afzal Ansari but declined to stay his conviction in a Gangsters Act case.

As a result, Afzal’s membership of Parliament will not be restored.

Afzal, who is the elder brother of jailed don Mukhtar Ansari, was disqualified as an MP following a judgment of special MP-MLA court in Ghazipur by which he was convicted and sentenced for four years imprisonment and fined Rs 1 lakh.

Later, he challenged the sentence by filing the present criminal appeal.

The high court had on July 12 reserved its judgment.

Disposing of the application of Afzal, Justice Raj Beer Singh observed: “After giving thoughtful consideration to all attending facts of the case, nature of offence of which the appellant has been convicted and the aforesaid position of law, this court is of considered view that the instant case does not fall within the ambit of such rare case so as to warrant suspension of conviction of appellant and thus, no case for suspension or stay of conviction of appellant is made out.

Earlier, it was argued on behalf of Afzal that the Gangsters Act was imposed on the basis of his alleged involvement in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai and in that case, he has been acquitted.

Thus, there was no ground for conviction. However, the application was opposed on behalf of the state government.

Earlier, the court had admitted the appeal filed by Afzal against the judgment of the special court by which he was convicted and sentenced in the Gangsters Act case.