Mukhtar Ansari's wife moves SC for his security as he's moved from Punjab to UP

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 6

Apprehending a fake encounter, BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari's wife on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking security and protection for her husband while he's shifted from Punjab's Ropar jail to Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh.

She urged the top court to pass necessary directions for Ansari's security in prison and when he's produced before courts. She also wanted the court to ensure a free and fair trial.

A 150-member team of UP Police had on Monday left for Punjab to bring back the gangster-turned-politician who is facing trial in several cases.

Around seven vehicles of the Uttar Pradesh Police reached the Rupnagar District Police Lines around 4:30 am Tuesday, it was reported.

The Police Lines is around four kilometres away from the Rupnagar jail, where Ansari has been lodged since January 2019 in connection with an extortion case.

Earlier, Punjab Government Home Department had written to the Uttar Pradesh Government to take custody of Ansari on or before April 8 from the Ropar Jail.

It had written to the Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) following an order passed by the Supreme Court directing the Punjab Government to transfer Ansari to Banda Jail in Uttar Pradesh in two weeks from the Rupnagar prison.

A BSP MLA from Mau Sadar assembly constituency in Banda district of UP, he was lodged in a jail in UP as undertrial when the Punjab Police obtained a production warrant against him on a complaint of extortion and criminal intimidation took him to Punjab where he has been lodged in Ropar jail.

Allowing the State of Uttar Pradesh government’s petition seeking transfer of the alleged gangster, a Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had on March 26 directed that Ansari’s custody should be handed over Uttar Pradesh authorities in two weeks.

“It is open for the Special Court, constituted for MPs/MLAs at Allahabad to continue him either in the District Jail at Banda or shift to any other Jail in the State of Uttar Pradesh, if any need arises,” it had said, while using its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution.

While dismissing Ansari’s plea to transfer the cases pending against him in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi, the top court had said that he shall be lodged in Banda Jail where the Jail Superintendent will extend him necessary medical facilities.

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