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UP gangster turned MLA Mukhtar Ansari’s ‘illegal’ properties demolished in Lucknow

A portion of Mukhtar Ansari’s property in Dalibagh Colony of Lucknow was declared illegal by authorities.

Updated on: Aug 27, 2020, 12:02:11 IST
Hindustan Times, Lucknow | By
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Uttar Pradesh’s gangster turned MLA Mukthar Ansari’s property in Dalibagh colony area of capital Lucknow has been demolished by the Lucknow Development Authority on Thursday amid presence of heavy police force.

Mukhtar Ansari’s building was demolished on Thursday morning. (HT Photo/Deepak Gupta)
Mukhtar Ansari’s building was demolished on Thursday morning. (HT Photo/Deepak Gupta)

The Lucknow Development Authority carried out the demolition of two illegal residential towers of the building owned by Ansari, who is currently languishing in jail.

An FIR has been registered in connection with the case and the administration has indicated that it intends to recover the expenses incurred in the demolition exercise from Ansari since the building was illegal.

Big JCB machines were used to pull down the alleged illegal portions of the building while police were deployed outside the premises to prevent any potential law and order issue.

“Gangster Mukhtar Ansari’s illegally owned property demolished near Dalibagh Colony. Expenses of demolition will be recovered from him. FIR will be registered. Responsibility of officials under whom this illegal construction took place will be fixed,” the Lucknow Administration was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Mukhtar Ansari is in Ropar jail in Punjab jail since early 2019. He is an accused in the killing of BJP leader Krishnanand Rai in 2005. His henchman and sharpshooter Rakesh Pandey alias Hanuman Pandey was gunned down by the Special Task Force (STF) on the outskirts of Lucknow on August 9.

Earlier in July, the state police had suspended arms licenses of Ansari’s four aides in a concerted action taken against mafia and top criminals. In January, Mau police had booked Ansari and five others in connection with obtaining four arms licences by furnishing fake addresses 19 years ago.

Also Read: How the UP government is demolishing the mafia

Earlier this year properties worth over Rs 50 lakh of another aide of Ansari were also confiscated by the Varanasi police.

Last year, Lucknow Police had seized 6 weapons and 4,431 cartridges from the residence of gangster Mukhtar Ansari’s son Abbas Ansari. Abbas had allegedly procured six weapons on a single license, the police said.