Lucknow: Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was on Thursday convicted in a Gangsters Act case by a special court in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district.
Also read: UP govt demolishes Muktar Ansari's gang member Kamlesh Singh Pradhan residence
According to sources, the quantum of punishment in the case will be pronounced on Friday. The former five-time MLA, who is lodged in the Banda district jail, was convicted under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2010 FIR.
It was registered at the Karanda police station in connection with two incidents. This is the sixth case in which the former MLA was convicted in the past year. At present, 61 cases, including murder and attempt to murder, are pending against him.
Ghazipur Joint Director (Prosecution) Parmanand Tiwari said, “Ansari was involved in two counts– one of the 2009 murder of one Kapil Dev Singh, and the other for an attempt to murder on Meer Hasan the same year. The trial in the case started in September 2012.”
Kapil Dev Singh, a resident of Suapur village under the Karanda police station area, was a teacher by profession. After his retirement, he lived at his village. In 2009, the police wanted a common witness in a case and Kapil Dev reached the spot and testified. Thereafter, Ansari got Kapil murdered by his gang members while he was in jail.
In 2010, a case was filed against Mukhtar Ansari on behalf of Mir Hasan of the Muhammadabad area. Initially, cops did not take action against Mukhtar, who was accused of attempting to murder. After an investigation, the investigating officer included Mukhtar Ansari's name in the case. A case was registered against Mukhtar in the same year.
Mukhtar Ansari has already been acquitted in the case of Kapil Dev Singh's murder. He has been declared guilty under the Gangster Act. Mukhtar's appearance took place through video conferencing. There is a provision of a maximum punishment of 10 years in this case.
In June, a Varanasi court convicted Ansari and sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder of Awadhesh Rai, 30, a businessman, outside his house in the city’s Maldahiya locality in 1991. Awadhesh was the elder brother of current Congress state president Ajay Rai.
