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MLA Abbas Ansari shifted to Kasganj jail days after his wife’s arrest
Earlier on Saturday, MLA’s wife Nikhat Ansari was arrested from a VVIP guest room (adjacent to the jailor’s office) inside the Chitrakoot jail.
LUCKNOW Incarcerated Mau MLA Abbas Ansari, the son of jailed mafioso-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was shifted from the Chitrakoot prison to Kasganj district jail on Wednesday. The development comes five days after the sensational revelations of his nexus with Chitrakoot jail authorities, who ensured VVIP facilities behind the bars for the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader. The jail authorities also ‘facilitated frequent visits by MLA’s wife Nikhat Ansari’.
The Kasganj jail is nearly 500 kilometres away from the Chitrakoot prison, said police. Earlier on Saturday, MLA’s wife Nikhat Ansari was arrested from a VVIP guest room (adjacent to the jailor’s office) inside the Chitrakoot jail. Two mobile phones, eatables, and objectionable items were recovered from her. During investigation, it was discovered that she used to meet Abbas for 3-4 hours every 2-3 days and her visit was facilitated by local jail authorities. Her entries were not even logged into the jail register.
After the episode came to light, police booked Nikhat, her driver Niyaz, and seven jail personnel -- including jail superintendent Ashok Kumar and deputy jailer Sushil Kumar -- for violation of jail norms. Nikhat and Niyaz have been arrested and sent to judicial custody till February 16.
Sharing further details, Santosh Kumar, spokesperson of the prison administration and reform services headquarters in Lucknow, said that Abbas was transferred to Kasganj on administrative grounds. He said the state government had issued the order to shift him after the revelation of his nexus with local jail authorities of Chitrakoot jail. He added that Abbas was picked up from the Chitrakoot jail in a van around 6 am on Wednesday morning. They reached the Kasganj jail after travelling for eight hours. The movement took place in tight security. An SP-rank officer and units from at least four police stations led the process.
A police official privy to the development said Abbas has been kept in the Kasganj jail in an isolated barrack. He has been put under round-the-clock vigilance. Strict instructions have been issued to the Kasganj jail authorities to ensure that nobody meets Abbas without mentioning their names into the visitor register. Also, no banned items should be allowed inside the jail.
Abbas was lodged in Chitrakoot jail for past three months in connection with a money laundering case registered against him by enforcement directorate. The arrest of his wife, Nikhat, from inside Chitrakoot jail has exposed how he ran his business from the jail through his wife’s phones.
