Days after demolishing a property of Kamlesh Singh 'Pradhan', a member of the Mukhtar Ansari gang, the Uttar Pradesh government bulldozed two houses belonging to other alleged associates Rafiqusmad and Iftikar of the gangster-turned-politician in Banda district. The authorities demolished the houses on Tuesday, claiming they were built illegally, reported PTI.
The officials said the aides used to give Ansari logistical and other such support.
Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar told PTI, “Illegally constructed houses of Rafiqusmad and Iftikar have been razed in Banda district. The duo used to provide logistic and other support to Ansari.”
Kumar revealed the police recovered double-barrel guns and cartridges from the residences. Cash worth Rs 7 lakh was also recovered from Rafiqusmad's house.
Rafiqusmad's house near Rafiq nursing home in Aliganj area and Iftikar's house at Zila Parishad crossing were demolished as maps for the same were not approved.
The Additional Director General of Police claimed that Rafiqusmad provided logistics assistance to Ansari, while Iftikar ensured residential facilities for the family members of the gangster, as cited by PTI.
After the recovery of firearms, the officials have started the procedure to suspend their licence. The accused were also keeping more cartridges than the permitted levels in their homes.
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Ansari is currently in Banda jail and his son and an MLA from Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party from Mau Abbas Ansari is also behind bars for his alleged links with a money laundering case. Presently, Abbas is in Kasganj district jail, reported PTI.
The district administration in Ghazipur had on Sunday demolished a building built by Ansari's aide Kamlesh Singh. Authorities had also demolished a two-storey house belonging to Ansari's sons, Abbas and Umar Ansari, in Jahangirabad locality in Mau district.
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"The land on which the house of Abbas and Umar Ansari was built belongs to someone else. Apart from this, the map of the house was also not passed by the authorities," an official said, as quoted by PTI.
The building was located in the Jahangirabad locality under the Dakhin Tola police station area of the city.
(IWith Inputs From Agencies)