The Punjab Government has finally settled to give the custody of gangster-turned-politician and BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari to the Uttar Pradesh Government. The State’s Home Department has written to the Uttar Pradesh Government to take Ansari’s custody from the State’s Rupnagar jail “on or before April 8”.
Ansari, who is wanted in various cases in Uttar Pradesh, has been lodged in the Rupnagar district jail since January 2019 in connection with an alleged extortion case.
In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Punjab’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) has asked for suitable arrangements to be made for the transfer of under-trial prisoner Mukhtar Ansari.
“The said handover is to be made at district jail Rupnagar on or before April 8,” the letter stated.
The letter pointed that Ansari suffers from certain medical conditions and the same may be kept in mind while making arrangements for his transport from Rupnagar jail to Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh.
During the takeover of Ansari, apart from arranging for a good vehicle, Ansari’s medical report should also be taken care of.
The letter also mentions that at the time of video conferencing during proceedings in Mohali Court on April 12, strict arrangements must be made in jail.
In its letter, the Punjab Home Department referred to the March 26 Supreme Court order that had directed the State Government to transfer the BSP’s MLA from Mau, Mukhtar Ansari, to Uttar Pradesh’s Banda jail in two weeks.
Delivering the order, the Apex Court had also noted that Mukhtar Ansari was allegedly involved in various cases of attempt to murder, murder, cheating, and conspiracy apart from offences under the Gangsters Act, lodged in Uttar Pradesh and 10 of these cases are at different stages of trial.
The officials said on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh Police has set up a special investigation team (SIT) to further probe into the issue of fake documents of the ambulance which was used to ferry Mukhtar Ansari from the Rupnagar jail to a Mohali court recently.
On April 2, a case was registered in Barabanki after the documents of the ambulance, bearing a Uttar Pradesh registration number, were found to be fake. Mukhtar Ansari was, on March 31, produced before the Mohali court in connection with the alleged 2019 extortion matter. Amid tight security arrangements, Ansari was taken into the court in a wheelchair. He was sent back to the Rupnagar jail in the ambulance after the appearance.
“After an initial probe, the name and address given for the registration of the ambulance were found to be false…An FIR in this regard has been registered by an additional road transport officer against Dr Alka Rai, whose name was given for the registration of the ambulance,” said a senior police official in Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh).
The FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 420 (forgery), 471 (fraudulently or dishonestly using documents as genuine), 467 (forgery of valuable security) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating).
The documents, such as PAN, electoral photo ID card and others were found to be fake. Besides the address, on which these documents were made, was also found to be wrong.
Amid a row over the issue, a Punjab police official had clarified that an inmate can be transported in a private ambulance on medical grounds and the cost of conveyance has to be borne by the prisoner.
According to the Punjab Prisoners (Attendance in Court) Rules, 1969, the police team can allow a private vehicle on the request of a prisoner, the official added. It was also clarified that the ambulance in which Mukhtar Ansari was taken to the court on March 31, was not a bullet-proof vehicle.