The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court, saying that the apex court should pass appropriate directions and transfer Ansari to Banda jail in the state.
In its affidavit, the UP government stated that the government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of gangster Mukhtar Ansari, who is currently lodged in a jail in Punjab.
Ansari's hearing regarding the transfer from Punjab to UP will commence later in the day.
A plea was filed by the UP government seeking transfer of custody of mafia don and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Ansari, from Punjab to UP to face trial in as many as 14 cases pending over there.
Earlier this month, the UP government had raised the question before the Supreme Court on why the Punjab government was defending the gangster and claimed that he is 'enjoying' in the jail there.
The government had also said that either Ansari should be transferred to Uttar Pradesh to face trial, or the case in Punjab to be transferred to a UP court if a chargesheet has been filed. The Yogi Adityanath government had approached the Supreme Court to bring Ansari to the state for appearance before a UP court.
Ansari, an MLA from Mau remained lodged in a Ropar jail in Punjab since January 2019 where he was named in an extortion case. Since then Ansari has not applied for bail in the FIR registered in Punjab and the police have also not filed any charge-sheet against him.
Earlier, several production warrants were issued against Ansari but Punjab Police did not allow him to be shifted to Uttar Pradesh on the grounds of ill health.
On his part, Ansari has apprehended a threat to his life in Uttar Pradesh and sought to appear in cases through video conferencing only.
The Yogi Adityanath government has taken tough measures against Ansari and people running illegal businesses under his name. Alleged illegal properties worth crores of rupees related to Ansari in Lucknow, Mau and Ghazipur have been demolished by the state agencies.
( With inputs from ANI )
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