Who was BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai, allegedly shot dead by Mukhtar Ansari, Afzal? Case explained

Prison mafia In a case involving the kidnapping and murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai, gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was found guilty. In Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, an MP MLA court has condemned Ansari to 10 years in prison. Mukhtar is lodged at Banda district jail.

The MP MLA Court also levied a 5 lakh punishment against the jailed mafia and former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA. On Saturday, he was virtually produced in court. 

Afzal Ansari, a BSP leader, was also found guilty in the 2005 kidnapping and murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. In addition to receiving a harsh 4-year prison term, he will likely lose his Lok Sabha seat. A 1 lakh rupee fine has also been imposed upon him.

The police filed a murder complaint against Mukhtar Ansari in connection with the 2001 "Usri Chatti" gang war event earlier in January of this year. 

Who was Krishnanad Rai? What is the BJP MLA kidnapping and murder case?
In 2005, BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai was allegedly killed by gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari and his brother Afzal Ansari. Ansari is the second politician to receive attention for the assassinations of other notable and significant individuals.

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How did BJP MLA Krishnand Rai die?
On November 29, 2005, Rai was assassinated while attending a family wedding in his hometown. Special Task Force officials had informed him of a murder threat and warned him of hired killers at the home of a local politician and mobster Mukhtar Ansari. 

He was convinced to start a cricket match in Siyari and to forego the use of his armoured car or security personnel. On his way home, he was assaulted by gunmen with automatic firearms. Seven people in total died in the incident. 

BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai's wife stated on Saturday that the mafia's reign in Uttar Pradesh has come to an end and that she has faith in the courts.

"I believe in the judiciary. Rule of Goondas, Mafias have ended (in the state)," Alka Rai said MLA Krishnanand Rai's wife, who was assassinated in Ghazipur in 2005.

Umesh Pal murder case: Atiq Ahmad, a gangster-turned-politician, and his brother Ashraf Ahmad were recently found guilty of killing Umesh Pal, a crucial witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Raju Pal. Atiq was however killed on live television in front of Uttar Pradesh police personnel.