Allahabad High Court Upholds Prosecution in Usri Chatti Massacre Case

The Allahabad High Court has rejected a petition to halt prosecution proceedings against Sarfaraz Ansari, also known as Munni, a suspected sharpshooter connected to deceased gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari. This decision relates to the 2001 Usri Chatti massacre case in Ghazipur district.

Justice Rajiv Singh from the Lucknow bench highlighted that a chargesheet had already been filed, and charges framed against Sarfaraz Ansari. Additionally, crucial testimony from Shailendra Kumar Rai, father of one of the victims, Manoj Rai, has been included in the ongoing trial, reinforcing the court's decision not to quash the proceedings.

The petition pointed to differences between the 2001 attack by Brijesh Singh's group and a 2023 FIR, which claimed Manoj Rai was abducted and killed by Mukhtar Ansari's associates. However, the Additional Advocate General emphasized the legal sustainability of the current prosecution based on new evidence and differing facts.