Bail to Ansari's wife in unlawful meeting case

One-liner: The SC on Friday granted bail to Nikhat Bano, the wife of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari, who was arrested for an alleged unlawful meeting with her husband in jail.

Mother of one-year-old child: A bench granted the relief, noting that the petitioner is a woman and mother of a one-year-old child.

Conditional bail: "We deem it appropriate that the petitioner be released on bail subject to appropriate conditions being imposed by the trial court," the bench said.

• "One of the conditions shall be to visit the prison to meet her husband only after obtaining appropriate orders from the trial court," the bench said

Direction: The top court also directed Nikhat Bano not to violate any of the bail conditions imposed on her.

HC order challenged: She had moved the apex court challenging an order of the Allahabad HC which had rejected her bail plea.

Jail raided: In Feb, the police and the district administration of Chitrakoot raided the Chitrakoot district jail on getting information about Abbas Ansari’s meeting with his wife and his driver Niyaz in contravention of rules.

Mobile phones, foreign currency found: A number of mobile phones and other materials, including foreign currency, were found in Nikhat Bano’s possession. Both Nikhar Bano and Niyaz were subsequently arrested.

• She faces the charges of threatening witnesses, making facilities available in jail for her husband, luring and giving gifts to jail officials and staff

Faraz Khan held: Faraz Khan, who had helped Nikhat get a house near the Chitrakoot jail and facilitated her meeting with Abbas Ansari, the son of former MLA and gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was also arrested.

Jail staff arrested: Police had also arrested jail warden Jagmohan, jailor Santosh Kumar, jail superintendent Ashok Kumar Sagar and deputy jailor Chandrakala.

In prison: Abbas Ansari, the MLA from Mau, is in prison in a money laundering case.