Punjab 'shamelessly' protecting Ansari: UP govt

Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the Punjab government was 'shamelessly' protecting BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who is lodged in a district jail in Rupnagar in connection with an alleged extortion case, by not sending him to UP to face the cases.

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Government told the Supreme Court today Punjab government is "shamelessly" protecting BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari. Punjab Government is not sending him to UP where several cases are pending against him for heinous offences.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R Subhash Reddy took note of the submission of senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the Punjab government, seeking adjournment in the matter on personal grounds.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, said he has no objection to Dave's plea for adjournment. The top court has postponed the matter for hearing on March 2.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Uttar Pradesh seeking a direction to the Punjab government and Rupnagar jail authority to immediately hand over the custody of Ansari to district jail Banda.

It has also sought a direction to transfer the criminal proceedings and trial in the extortion case in Punjab to the special court in Allahabad.

UP Government stated through its affidavit that Ansari is accused in 10 heinous crimes of murder, extortion, cheating, fraud and gangster acts on which trials have been pending at the Special court (MP/MLA) in Allahabad.

UP Government has contended in its written submissions that Ansari is not coming to UP citing threat to his life which is contrary to the medical reasons cited by the Punjab government indicating the intention to delay legal proceedings. Ansari has not filed for default bail in the last two years and Punjab has not even registered a charge sheet in the last two years, contended UP Government.

UP Government also stated that Ansari has been suffering from the cited medical issues since 2008 and he has attended Vidhan Sabha proceedings as well. So the medical issues are not grave, argued UP Government.

"Looking at the chain of events and chronology it appears that the transfer of custody of Respondent No.3(Mukhtar Ansari) is meticulously planned and raises a strong suspicion of conspiracy to delay the proceedings before the Special Judge(MP/MLA), Allahbad," read the affidavit.

"Respondent No. 3 had been safely lodged in the Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh for 15 years duly protected by the jail authorities and given full medical and health care. The Petitioner state of Uttar Pradesh is duty-bound to provide all safety and protection to accused Respondent no.3 and as such the illegal fear of Respondent no.3 is imaginary, ill-founded and deserves to be rejected," submitted UP.

Ansari is lodged in a district jail in Rupnagar in Punjab since January 2019. In its affidavit filed in the apex court, Punjab had referred to the medical condition of Ansari and said that he had been undergoing treatment at jail hospital as well as other hospitals from time to time since January 2019.

While referring to the medical condition and advice of doctors, it has said that custody of Ansari could not be handed over to the state of Uttar Pradesh due to the specific advice of the medical officers/medical board/specialists from time to time.

With inputs from agencies