Mukhtar Ansari Death: Tejaswi and Owaisi Allege Poisoning, Citing 'Prima Facie' Evidence

Mukhtar Ansari Jailed gangster-turned-politician passed away on Thursday night. Mukhtar Ansari, aged 63, passed away due to a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh. This occurred days after his brother, Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, alleged that Mukhtar was being slowly poisoned in prison, However, a claim was denied by authorities.  Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) leader expressed concerns about the sudden death of Mukhtar Ansari and urged constitutional bodies to take proactive notice of "such unusual incidents" following a heart attack.

Tejashwi Yadav, former Deputy CM of Bihar, conveyed his condolences and stated in Hindi, "We received the sad news of the demise of former UP MLA Shri Mukhtar Ansari. May God grant peace to his soul and strength to his grieving family." Yadav highlighted, "Despite his prior complaints of being poisoned in jail, the matter was not taken seriously. This appears unjust and inhumane on the surface." He further emphasized, "Constitutional bodies must address such peculiar incidents on their initiative." Yadav asserted, "The Chief Justice of India should address this issue. An impartial inquiry under court supervision is imperative." He condemned the failure to address Ansari's repeated allegations of being poisoned, branding it as a stain on the country's constitutional framework.

यूपी से पूर्व विधायक श्री मुख्तार अंसारी के इंतकाल का दुःखद समाचार मिला। परवरदिगार से प्रार्थना है कि दिवंगत आत्मा को शांति तथा शोकाकुल परिजनों को दुःख सहने की शक्ति प्रदान करें।

कुछ दिन पूर्व उन्होंने शिकायत की थी कि उन्हें जेल में जहर दिया गया है फिर भी गंभीरता से नहीं लिया…

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 28, 2024

Asaduddin Owaisi, Chief of All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), quoted similar views, referring to the accusations made by Ansari's brother. Offering condolences to Ansari's family, Owaisi remarked, "The people of Ghazipur have lost a beloved son and brother." He criticized the government's alleged neglect of Ansari's health concerns despite his serious claims, terming it as condemnable and unfortunate. Mukhtar Ansari was rushed to a medical college in an unconscious state after complaining of vomiting. Despite efforts by a team of nine doctors, he succumbed to a cardiac arrest. Former Bihar MP Pappu Yadav, now a member of Congress, labeled Ansari's demise as an "institutional murder" and demanded a court-monitored investigation.

इन्ना लिल्लाही वा इन्ना इलैही राजिऊन। अल्लाह से दुआ है के वो मुख़्तार अंसारी को मग़फ़िरत फ़रमाए, उनके ख़ानदान और उनके चाहने वालों को सब्र-ए-जमील अदा करें। @AfzalAnsariMP@yusufpore ग़ाज़ीपुर की अवाम ने अपने चहीते बेटे और भाई को को खो दिया। मुख़्तार साहब ने प्रशासन पर गंभीर आरोप… pic.twitter.com/zMbA0txKDK

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 28, 2024

Following Ansari's passing, Section 144 of the CrPC has been enforced statewide, with Central Reserve Police Force teams and local police deployed in Banda, Mau, Ghazipur, and Varanasi.

Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar, had been incarcerated in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005, with more than 60 criminal cases pending against him.