Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has stayed the conviction and sentence of a man found guilty in a 2017 murder case, noting that he intends to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election either as an independent candidate or, if possible, on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

A division bench comprising Justice Siddharth and Justice Vinai Kumar Dwivedi passed the order while hearing a criminal appeal filed by Nandlal Rai, alias Babloo Rai. He was convicted by a Varanasi sessions court in 2025 in connection with the murder case registered at Sigra police station in 2017.

The High Court granted bail to Rai, observing that he was a political figure and had been an active BJP worker before his conviction.

"Keeping in view the right to livelihood of a common man which is not less important than the right to contest election by a politician, conviction and sentence of appellant deserves to be stayed so that he may be able to survive for hearing the final verdict in his above noted appeal," the court said.

In its October 5 order, the High Court referred to a 2023 Supreme Court judgment in Afjal Ansari vs. State of Uttar Pradesh. It noted that the apex court had stayed the convictions of several public representatives, observing that the "politicians bear special duty towards their constituents and failure to secure stay of conviction may lead to loss of opportunity to contest election and granted stay of conviction to the politicians/ legislators".

Rai had sought bail and a stay on his conviction, arguing that his name did not figure in the first information report (FIR) and that his alleged involvement in the crime was disclosed only around 17 days after the FIR was registered.

The case concerns the murder of Pramod Kumar Nigam, an active member of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Rai was associated with gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari and was accused of killing Nigam over a minor dispute.

During the hearing, Rai's counsel also submitted that Nigam was politically active and that Rai had been implicated in the case merely on the basis of suspicion and conjecture.

After considering the arguments presented by both sides and the circumstances of the case, the High Court concluded that Rai's conviction and sentence warranted a stay while his appeal remained pending. (PTI)