The Supreme Court on July 28 refused to grant any relief to gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s younger son, Umar Ansari, in a hate speech case.
A Bench led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy said Umar would have to face trial. The court declined to quash the case.
Watch | What is ‘hate speech’?
Advocate Nizam Pasha, for Umar, said his client was only a “young boy”. He was merely present on the dais and did not make the hate speech. The case was registered in Mau during the Assembly elections in 2022.
“You have to be careful choosing the company you keep… You have to face trial,” Justice Roy addressed Mr. Pasha.
“He was with his brother on the dais. He is young. He was born into that family. He had no choice,” the lawyer responded.
Mr. Pasha said no role was attributed to Umar in the case. The High Court had refused to quash the case against him by making vague references about “constitutional values”.
The apex court said it was disinclined to entertain the plea. It, however, left it open for Umar to seek discharge from the case in accordance with the law.
Umar was booked along with his elder brother Abbas Ansari, who won the Assembly election from Mau Sadar seat. The police have accused them of threatening government officials during a public meeting in Mau in March 2022.
