LUCKNOW: Jailed gangster, and five-time former MLA, Mukhtar Ansari was awarded life sentence on Monday for the murder of Varanasi strongman Awadhesh Rai 32 years ago.

A Varanasi MP-MLA court also slapped Rs 1.2 lakh penalty on him.This is Ansari's fifth conviction in Uttar Pradesh since September 2022 and sixth overall.

A Delhi court had sentenced him under Tada in 2003.

But this is for the first time that Mukhtar, who faces 61 criminal cases, has been convicted for a murder.On Monday, he appeared before the court through video-conferencing and reportedly pleaded innocence.

After MP-MLA court's special judge Avanish Gautam convicted him in the first half of Monday's proceedings and left the quantum of sentence for the second half, a shocked Ansari requested the judge to minimise it in view of his old age and poor health condition.

He claimed that fake charges had been levelled against him in this case.03:00From notorious gangster to politician to convicted criminal: History of Mukhtar Ansari's life in crimeAnsari, 59, is already lodged in Banda jail for his earlier convictions.

He has been behind bars since 2005, after he surrendered in a case of communal violence in Mau.

Awadhesh Rai was gunned down in front of his house in Lahurabir area of Varanasi on August 3, 1991 allegedly by Ansari and his henchmen.

Awadhesh's younger brother, Ajay Rai -- now a Congress leader -- was present at the spot and lodged a named FIR in the case.“This is the end of our 32-year struggle against a notorious criminal.

I, my parents, Awadhesh's daughter and the whole family kept patience...

Governments came and went and Mukhtar strengthened himself," Ajay Rai told media persons on Monday.02:56Gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari gets lifetime imprisonment in Congress leader Awadhesh Rai's murderUP’s special DG (law and order) Prashant Kumar said: “Continuing the action against criminals under our zero-tolerance policy, Mukhtar Ansari was served life imprisonment in the case.

He is member of IS 151 gang leader and history-sheeter from Ghazipur and action has been taken against 288 members of his gang.

We were monitoring the case from the headquarters.”Additional district government counsel (criminal) Vinay Singh said, “In the first session around 12 noon, the court convicted him.

When the court resumed after break at 2 pm, special judge (MP-MLA) Avanish Gautam awarded life imprisonment and a cash penalty of Rs 1 lakh while pronouncing punishment on the charges framed under Sections 302 (murder) and 149 (offence committed by any member of unlawful assembly) of IPC.”“Besides, on the charges framed under Section 148 (rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon), he was sentenced three years in jail along with a cash penalty of Rs 20,000.

Both the punishments would run concurrently,” he added.In his 104-page judgment, the judge mentioned that “the demand for maximum punishment by ADGC (criminal) in view of the long criminal history of Mukhtar and the nature of murder can’t be considered as it was not a rarest of the rare case”.

As Mukhtar had earlier been granted bail in this murder case, the court ordered the Banda jail authorities to take him in judicial custody in the matter.Mukhtar’s lawyer Shrinath Tripathi said that they would file an appeal against this order in the high court.

“We expect justice from the HC as prosecution could not reply to the points mentioned in the defence arguments,” he said.WatchFrom notorious gangster to politician to convicted criminal: History of Mukhtar Ansari's life in crime