Mukhtar Ansari's Worst Fear Comes True As SC Gets Him Shifted From Punjab To UP's Banda Jail

A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R Subhash Reddy directed that Ansari should be handed to UP in a span of two weeks and needs to be lodged in Banda jail.

Mukhtar Ansari speaking to ABP News in 2017

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today orderd transfer of gangster-turned-politican Mukhtar Ansari to jail in Uttar Pradesh from Punjab within two weeks, to face trials there.

A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R Subhash Reddy directed that Ansari should be handed to UP in a span of two weeks and needs to be lodged in Banda jail.

The Uttar Pradesh government had last month told the Supreme Court that the Punjab government is “shamelessly protecting” BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari, a charge denied by the former. 

'Running Illegal Activities From Jail'

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for Uttar Pradesh, urging for Ansari’s transfer, shad said that he is named in 30 FIRs and an accused in 14 trials.

“Ansari's case is a classical story like in the films... He is in jail since 2005, but he is operating from the jail allegedly and running his illegal activities from there... One person mocking the entire judicial system... His continuance in Punjab is unconstitutional,” Mehta submitted.

BSP MLA Ansari has been lodged in a jail in Punjab's Ropar since January 2019. Some say his clout in eastern Uttar Pradesh, while many still believe he holds the strings to a lot of notorious activities operating behind bars. It was in early 1990s when Ansari ventured into property business and contract work but later on stepped into the world of crime.

In November 2005, he was linked to the murder of BJP legislator Krishnanad Rai. In 2009, Ansari, who faces 48 FIRs including 10 murder cases, was again named in the killing of Ajai Prakash Singh, a contractor, in Mau.

Gangster-Turned Politician

Mukhtar Ansari won his first assembly election through a BSP ticket from the Mau seat in the year 1996. However, he was wasn't given a ticket in 2002, and then decided to contest as an Independent and won the seat in 2002. He retained his seat as an Independent candidate in the year 2007.

In January 2019, he was arrested for allegedly threatening a Mohali-based builder and demanding a ransom. Ansari was arrested in that case and shifted to Punjab's Ropar jail from Banda, where he was incarcerated in March 2017 in a separate case.

Afraid To Return To Yogi-Led UP Govt

In May 2020, the UP police went hard against Ansari and his gang members. Seventy-two arms licenses linked to him and his accomplices were suspended, properties worth Rs 66 crore seized, and an extortion racket that supplied crores of rupees annually to Ansari and his associates was busted, reported IANS.

Two days ago former Congress MLA Ajay Rai had written to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, claiming a threat to his life from Mukhtar Ansari and sought a security cover for himself. WATCH: Why Mukhtar Ansari is afraid to come to Uttar Pradesh? | ABP Special Full

Ajay Rai is the complainant and prime witness against Mukhtar and other accused persons in a case related to his brother Avadhesh Rai's murder. Rai, irnonically had enjoyed support of Mukhtar's Qaumi Ekta Dal in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, BJP MLA and slain Krishnanand Rai's widow, Alka Rai, had written letters to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleging that the Congress-led Punjab government was shielding Mukhtar in Ropar Jail.

Cited Medical Reasons To Stay In Punjab Jail

It is being said that Mukhtar Ansari and CM Captain Amarinder Singh's son are close friends. They were introduced to each other by the same builder and using this tactic Ansari is being made to stay in a Punjab jail. 

Reports say Mukhtar Ansari was perturbed with the manner in which UP gangster Vikas Dubey was encountered. He has been citing medical reasons because of which Punjab jail administration was not agreeing to shift him and had advised bed rest. 

Some say Mukhtar Ansari is afraid to return to UP as he fears being eliminated by the Yogi Adityanath government and feels safe being lodged in Congress-ruled state of Punjab. 

Mukhtar Ansari's lawyer Mukul Rohatgi had claimed that his life is under threat. Rohatgi had said that Munna Bajrangi, who was co-accused with him in one case, was killed while transporting him from one jail to another in UP.

Mukhtar's lawyer also demanded that all cases be heard through video conferencing. 

His lawyer in Punjab had opposed the writ petition by arguing that UP state has no fundamental right and hence cannot invoke Article 32 of the Constitution and need to approach the SC in this regard.

"My views about UP govt won't change even if they get me back to Banda jail. I never requested to be lodged in Ghazipur jail Like a football I have been transferred to various jails in UP. I am always confined within 4 walls,"he had told ABP in 2017.