Lucknow, July 3: A CBI court in Delhi on Wednesday acquitted seven accused in connection with the murder of BJP legislator Krishnanand Rai. Those acquitted include legislator Mukhtar Ansari and his brother and MP Afzal Ansari. Besides the Ansari brothers, the other accused in the case were Sanjeev Maheshwari, Ramu Mallah, Mansoor Ansari, Rakesh Pandey and Munna Bajrangi.

Mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was elected as an MLA from Mau assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh. He contested poll as a BSP candidate. His brother Afzal won Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat in May as BSP candidate. Jailed BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari Sent to Mohali Police Remand in Extortion Case.

Krishnanand Rai was shot more than 100 times with bursts of AK47 in November 2005. The prime accused in the case, Munna Bajrangi, was shot dead inside the premises of Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat jail last year. Mukhtar Ansari and Rai were known rivals. Rai had defeated Afzal Ansari in the last Vidhan Sabha elections from Mohammdabad Assembly constituency.

The Allahabad High Court had ordered a CBI probe in the matter after Alka Rai, the wife of the deceased politician, knocked on the doors of the court demanding the same. The case was transferred from a UP court to Delhi on the Supreme Court's order.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2019 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).