The Supreme Court has ordered Uttar Pradesh officials to provide inquiry reports regarding the death of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who died on March 28, 2024, in custody. His son, Umar Ansari, claimed the state failed to deliver the necessary documents, prompting the court to mandate their submission within two weeks amid ongoing safety concerns surrounding Mukhtar’s imprisonment.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has instructed Uttar Pradesh authorities to furnish the medical and magisterial inquiry reports related to the death of jailed gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who passed away on March 28, 2024.
A bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V. Bhatti issued the directive following submissions from senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Umar Ansari, Mukhtar Ansari’s son. Sibal argued that the state government had failed to provide the required reports on his father’s death.
Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar, allegedly died of cardiac arrest at a Banda hospital. At the time, he was serving time in prison, with over 60 criminal cases pending against him. He had also been convicted in the high-profile murder case of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.
Umar Ansari had previously moved the Supreme Court in December 2023, seeking his father’s transfer to a prison outside Uttar Pradesh, citing concerns for his life. The state government had assured the court that Mukhtar Ansari’s security would be bolstered inside Banda jail, if necessary, to prevent any harm.
Read Also: Delhi HC Declines Intervention in PIL Seeking Centralized Portal for Financial Assets
On Thursday, Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the bench that the required documents would be provided to Umar Ansari. The court observed that a post-mortem and a magisterial inquiry were conducted after Mukhtar Ansari’s death and directed the state government to share these reports within two weeks. Umar Ansari has been given three weeks thereafter to file his response.
Umar’s plea also highlighted that in May 2024, the Allahabad High Court had ordered enhanced security measures for Mukhtar Ansari after his mother expressed concerns about his safety.
The death of Mukhtar Ansari has stirred controversy, with his brother, Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, alleging that Mukhtar was subjected to “slow poisoning” while in custody—a claim denied by the authorities.
Mukhtar Ansari, who had been incarcerated since 2005, remained a polarizing figure in Uttar Pradesh politics and criminal cases. His death has raised questions about the conditions of his imprisonment and the circumstances leading up to his demise.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE