The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted multiple raids at the premises of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, his brother and Bahujan Samaj Party MP Afzal Ansari and other aides in Ghazipur, Mau, Lucknow and Delhi in connection with an alleged Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case. Mukhtar is currently lodged in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda jail.
“Consecutive raids were carried out at multiple locations in Delhi, Lucknow, Mau and Ghazipur districts in connection with a PMLA case registered against Mukhtar Ansari, his brother Afzal Ansari and others in July 2021,” a senior officer in the know of matter said.
Reacting to the raids deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said, “Our government is determined to establish rule of law in the state. No criminal or organised crime will be allowed here. We have empowered our forces and agencies and they are free to take legal action against such elements.”Congress leader Deepak Singh said he felt the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation were working as “organisations of the BJP” and acting at the behest of the saffron party.“Democracy will be reinstated after the BJP’s ouster and the Congress will ensure that the BJP goes out of power in 2024,” he said.
Ansari’s house in Ghazipur was also searched. Searches were also carried out at the premises of three of his business associates, including a bus services operator of Mau. In Lucknow, the searches were underway at Afzal Ansari’s house in Dalibagh locality as well as at a building owned by his aides in Hussainganj, he added.
{{/usCountry}}Ansari’s house in Ghazipur was also searched. Searches were also carried out at the premises of three of his business associates, including a bus services operator of Mau. In Lucknow, the searches were underway at Afzal Ansari’s house in Dalibagh locality as well as at a building owned by his aides in Hussainganj, he added.
{{/usCountry}}In May this year, Afzal Ansari was grilled for several hours by the ED while Mukhtar Ansari was questioned in Banda jail in November, 2021 regarding their assets. The ED registered the PMLA case against Ansari brothers on the basis of three cases registered earlier in Mau and Lucknow districts.
In June 2021, the Uttar Pradesh administration had attached his property worth ₹24 crore in Mau on charges of illegal possession. The Yogi Adityanath government had earlier said that properties worth over ₹ 200 crore related to Mukhtar and his gang members had either been demolished or attached.