HC rejects CBI's objection to bail plea of BJP MLA murder accused

Allahabad, Nov 9 (UNI) The Allahabad High Court today rejected the CBI objection that bail application of ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari in BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case is not maintainable in the Court.

Holding the bail application as maintainable, the court fixed November 17 to hear his bail plea.

Earlier, the CBI counsel had raised a preliminary objection that since the probe in Rai murder case had been handed over to the central agency, the applicant should first move his bail application before the CBI court.

Similar objection was also raised by the complainant -- Rai's widow Alka -- in the case. However, the objection of both parties was rejected by Justice Poonam Srivastava.

The applicant, the SP MP, filed the bail application, when his similar plea in the case was rejected by the Ghazipur sessions judge.

The civil police had already filed chargesheet in this case. But, on the direction of Allahabad high court, the probe of this high-profile case was transferred from civil police to CBI.

The central agency had pleaded that applicant should first move the bail application in a CBI court and thereafter in high court.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad assembly constituency in Ghazipur, and his seven supporters were shot dead in broad daylight in Ghazipur on November 29, 2005.

They were ambushed near the Ballia-Ghazipur border by several motorcycle-borne miscreants armed with sophisticated weapons.

On a writ petition of the BJP MLA's widow, the high court on May 23 had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to hand over the probe to CBI, which has already started its investigation.

Afzal Ansari, his younger brother don-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari and brother-in-law Ejaz are prime accused in Rai's assassination.

The trio are presently lodged in Ghazipur district jail.

UNI XC/VS YA BS1931