Judicial investigation initiated into the demise of Mukhtar Ansari by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Banda

Following the demise of incarcerated gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari due to a cardiac arrest during treatment at Banda Medical College on Thursday night, the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court of the district ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter on Friday.

The court designated MP/MLA court judge Garima Singh to conduct the investigation into Ansari’s demise and submit the report within a month to the Banda Chief Judicial Magistrate.

The inquiry was initiated into Mukhtar’s death following allegations from his family members, including his son Umar Ansari, who termed it a premeditated murder. Additionally, several political parties, including the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Congress, raised concerns about the jail administration and medical authorities in Banda.

In response to the opposition’s claims, the BJP asserted that the public should be mindful of their tactics of communal polarization during election periods.

Meanwhile, to dispel any doubts regarding the death, a panel of five physicians performed the postmortem examination of Ansari’s body. The procedure was conducted in the presence of family members and was recorded on video.

Earlier in the day, Mukhtar’s son Umar Ansari alleged that his father had been subjected to deliberate poisoning in jail, a claim that the gangster had articulated in an open letter to the Banda MP/MLA court.

“My father had informed us that he was being slowly poisoned,” Umar Ansari stated while speaking to the media.

He further mentioned that the entire nation was now aware of the situation. Mukhtar’s brother Afzal Ansari, who had visited him in the hospital, informed the media on Tuesday that a team of doctors had been assembled by Banda Medical College for his treatment, which was ongoing.

“He is currently in the ICU, and I had a brief meeting with him. He is conscious. He informed me that he was given some poisonous substance in his food. This is the second time this has occurred, with the first incident happening 40 days ago. At least this time, he was promptly transferred to the hospital. I am grateful for that… If the hospital in Banda cannot provide adequate treatment, he should be referred to a higher medical facility promptly,” said Afzal, the incumbent BSP MP and SP candidate from Ghazipur.

It should be noted that Mukhtar was admitted to Banda Medical College on March 26 due to abdominal discomfort and pain. After 15 hours of observation and necessary tests, it was determined that he was suffering from acidity and gastritis due to constipation. He was discharged and sent back to jail after treatment.

However, in response to his letter to the MP/MLA court, the Banda Chief Medical Officer had formed a panel to investigate his concerns. However, the probe did not substantiate any of his claims, according to sources.

Meanwhile, amidst heavy security deployments in several districts of eastern UP, including Ghazipur, Mau, Varanasi, and Banda, and with prohibitory orders in place, Mukhtar’s body was transported to his hometown of Ghazipur for the final rites, covering a distance of over 400 km from Banda.

After the autopsy, the gangster’s body was handed over to his son Umar and was transported to Ghazipur in a convoy of 20 vehicles escorted by two deputy SP rank officers and two trucks full of police personnel.

The burial is scheduled to take place after the morning prayers on Saturday, as the body was expected to arrive in Mohammadabad, Ghazipur, late on Friday night.

Meanwhile, his elder son, who is incarcerated in Kasganj jail in connection with multiple cases, has filed a plea in the Supreme Court of India seeking permission to attend his father’s last rites. Previously, he had approached the Allahabad High Court but was unsuccessful in getting his request heard.