Allahabad HC quashes Gangster Act case against former SP MLA Arif Anwar Hashmi

Lucknow, Nov 21 The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday quashed proceedings under the Gangster Act pending against former Samajwadi Party MLA Arif Anwar Hashmi in a special court in Balrampur district.

A single bench of Justice Saurabh Lavania passed the order while allowing Hashmi's petition.

His counsel, Manoj Kumar Mishra, argued that a gang chart can be prepared against an individual only based on cases in which a chargesheet had been filed after investigation.

However, three cases listed in the gang chart against Hashmi did not have chargesheets at the time it was prepared, Mishra argued.

After hearing the matter, the court set aside the Gangsters Act proceedings against Hashmi. It further clarified that since chargesheets have now been filed in those cases, the government is free to initiate fresh proceedings if it so desires.