Prayagraj, Jun 13 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Monday rejected a bail plea of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari in connection with a case of misappropriation of MLA funds.

Ansari, an MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Mau constituency, is currently lodged in Banda jail of the state. He is accused of misappropriation of Rs 25 lakh of MLA fund.

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Justice Rahul Chaturvedi observed, “Assessing the totality of circumstances, I do not find any good reason to release the applicant on bail and consequently, the bail application of the applicant Mukhtar Anasri is hereby rejected.”

“There are 54 cases against the applicant and he is aged about 58 years. This speaks volumes about his checkered past and criminal antecedent,” the court said.

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“The applicant needs no introduction in Uttar Pradesh on account of his alleged 'Robin Hood' image. He is a hardened and habitual offender who is in the sphere of crime since 1986 but surprisingly, he has managed to never get convicted,” the court said.

An FIR was lodged against the gangster-turned-politician on April 24 last year at the Sarai Lakhansi police station of Mau. He along with four others was booked under sections 419 (cheating), 420 (dishonesty), 467 (forgery of documents), 468, 471 (fraud) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Ansari is accused of releasing Rs 25 lakh from his MLA fund for the construction of a school on a piece of land at Sarwan village in Mau.

The money was released in three installments during 2012-2015, however, during an inquiry, it was found that the school was never built.

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