‘Hand over Mukhtar Ansari’s medical, death probe reports to his son': Supreme Court to UP govt

Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time legislator from Mau Sadar, allegedly died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Banda on March 28 last year

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide medical and magisterial inquiry reports on the death of jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari on March 28 last year.

Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari died on March 28, 2024,(PTI file)

According to a PTI report, a top court bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mukhtar Ansari's son Umar.

In his submission, Umar claimed that the medical and judicial inquiry reports on his father's death were not furnished by the state government.

Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time legislator from Mau Sadar, allegedly died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Banda on March 28 last year. He was jailed since 2005, with more than 60 criminal cases pending against him.

He was convicted in the murder case of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Krishnanand Rai. Prior to Ansari's death, Umar had moved the apex court in December 2023, seeking a direction to transfer his father to any jail outside UP fearing for his life.

In 2023, the state government assured the bench it would strengthen Ansari's security inside the Banda jail, if required so that no harm was done to him.

UP govt says will provide documents to Umar

According to the PTI report, additional solicitor general KM Nataraj, appearing for the UP government told the court that the documents would be provided to Umar Ansari.

The bench observed a post-mortem was conducted on Ansari and a magisterial inquiry was also held later. It asked the state government to provide the copies of the medical and inquiry reports within two weeks to the son who could file his response within three weeks thereafter.

Umar's plea said after his mother approached the Allahabad High Court for protection, safety and security of Ansari, the court ordered enhancing his security in May, 2024.

When Ansari died, his brother and Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari alleged he was being subjected to "slow poisoning" in jail, a charge denied by the authorities.

(With PTI inputs)