A special Varanasi court on Wednesday sentenced gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari to life imprisonment in a three-decade-old fake gun licence case.

The order was passed by the special MP-MLA court of judge Awanish Gautam, district government counsel Vinay Singh said.

The case against Ansari was registered under IPC sections 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), along with provisions of the Arms Act at Mohammadabad police station of Ghazipur district in December 1990, he said.

According to the government counsel, Ansari joined the court proceedings via video conference from Banda Jail, where he is currently lodged.

According to police officials, around 60 cases are pending against Ansari in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, New Delhi and other states.

He has so far been convicted in at least seven cases.

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