Under strict security, imprisoned Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari was transferred to Ghazipur jail, from which he will be escorted by police to attend the ‘fatiha’ ceremony of his deceased father, Mukhtar Ansari, on Wednesday. The former mafia member and politician, Mukhtar Ansari, recently passed away due to cardiac arrest at a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted permission to Abbas Ansari, currently imprisoned, to attend his late father Mukhtar Ansari’s ‘fatiha’ ceremony under strict security measures. The request by Abbas Ansari for authorization to participate in his father’s ‘fatiha’ was reviewed by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan on April 9. The bench stated that it found “no reason to deny him permission to attend the event.”
The Supreme Court has ordered that Abbas Ansari be returned to Kasganj jail by April 13. Additionally, the court has permitted Abbas Ansari to have family visits on April 11 and 12, with the stipulation that police authorities search all visitors to ensure no weapons are brought in. Furthermore, Abbas Ansari has been instructed not to speak to the media during these visits.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Abbas Ansari, appealed to the Supreme Court to permit his client to participate in the rituals and spend time with his family for a few days. The Uttar Pradesh government objected to Ansari’s request, citing that he faces charges under the Gangster Act and is accused of operating a gang from Chitrakoot jail, leading to his transfer to Kasganj jail.