Mukhtar gang most dreaded criminal group in India: HC

Observing that the ‘gang’ run by former MLA Mukhtar Ansari was the most dreaded criminal group in India, the Allahabad high court has rejected the bail application of one Ramu Mallah, a member of Ansari’s gang, in a murder case that took place in Mau district

Observing that the ‘gang’ run by former MLA Mukhtar Ansari was the most dreaded criminal group in India, the Allahabad high court has rejected the bail application of one Ramu Mallah, a member of Ansari’s gang, in a murder case that took place in Mau district.

Rejecting the bail application of Ramu Mallah, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh declined to give him the benefit of parity in a case in which he was acquitted as witnesses had turned hostile.

The court also urged the state to provide enough protection to witnesses as a fair trial was not possible without their deposition. In the present case in which the accused applicant had sought bail, the former MLA and others were also made accused.

Rejecting the bail application of Ramu Mallah, Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh declined to give him the benefit of parity in a case in which he was acquitted as witnesses had turned hostile. “Merely since the accused has been acquitted as the witnesses turned hostile in some of the cases, his [Ramu Mallah’s] criminal history, does not evaporate. Such a criminal, if allowed to come out of jail, would certainly be in a position to influence witnesses, and free, fair and truthful deposition of the witnesses would be impossible.”

Rejecting the pleas of the applicant’s counsel, the court, in its order dated March 1, added: “The accused applicant is a dreaded criminal and a member of the most dreaded criminal gang of India i.e. the gang of Mukhtar Ansari. The accused applicant is facing several criminal cases of heinous offences...”