Varanasi: Mafia-turned-politician and former MLA Mukhtar Ansari was sentenced to life imprisonment along with a penalty of Rs 1 lakh in 32-year-old Awadhesh Rai murder case by an MP-MLA court here in Varanasi on Monday, a prosecution counsel said here.
Counsel Vikas Singh said that after hearing the arguments of both the sides, Special Judge MP-MLA court Avanish Gautam held Mukhtar guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment along with a penalty of Rs 1 lakh. Congress leader and former MLA Ajay Rai, brother of Awadhesh Rai, was present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.
Singh said that Mukhtar, who is currently lodged in Banda jail, appeared before the court through video-conferencing. It may be noted that Awadhesh Rai was shot while he was standing in front of his brother Ajay Rai's house in Chetganj area under Lahurabir police station in Varanasi on August 3, 1991.
The assailants, who came in a van, fired indiscriminately on Awadhesh Rai. Awadhesh, who sustained serious injuries, was taken to the hospital where doctors declared him dead. Awadhesh's brother and Congress leader Ajay Rai had filed a case against five persons, including Mukhtar, Bheem Singh, Kamlesh Singh, former MLA Abdul Kalam and Rakesh Nyayaik.
One of the accused and former MLA Abdul Kalam died during the course of trial. (UNI)