New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday observed that security arrangements made for gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, currently lodged in Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh, appeared to be “formidable enough” and asked the state government to ensure that he is not visited by any "unforeseen situation".
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra was hearing a plea filed by Umar Ansari, Mukhtar's son raising concerns regarding his father’s safety within the jail premises and seeking a direction to transfer him to any other prison outside Uttar Pradesh.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K M Nataraj, representing Uttar Pradesh, brought on record details regarding the number of cases pending against Mukhtar at different stages and the security arrangements made for him. The apex court noted that Mukhtar was earlier permitted to attend the court hearings through virtual mode.
The apex court directed Uttar Pradesh authorities to continue with the security measures to ensure that Mukhtar is not visited with any “unforeseen situation” and, after examining a chart regarding security arrangements for Ansari, observed they appeared to be “formidable enough”.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioner, requested the bench to adjourn the matter to July. The apex court said the state’s counsel has brought to its notice certain measures and noted that even with all the measures, things may happen. “For the moment, whatever is being done, let it continue,” said the bench.
After hearing submission, the bench said, “we deem it appropriate to direct the authorities of Uttar Pradesh state to continue with all the security measures to ensure that detenu Mukhtar is not visited with any unforeseen situation”. The apex court has scheduled the matter for further hearing in the third week of July.
Umar’s plea contended that anti-social elements in the state have been emboldened enough to commit murders within full public view and moreover, on live television, in the presence of media and the police such as in the case of Atiq Ahmad. “It is clear that there is an emerging pattern in these custodial killings where persons belonging to the political opposition are the main targets”, said the plea.
Umar’s plea claimed that he is concerned for his father’s life and he has been constrained to approach the apex court with the sole aim of protecting the life of his father. “As per the information received from reliable sources within the police establishment, the persons who have been hired to assassinate the petitioner’s father shall be arrested by the police or summoned on remand in some petty crime, produced before the court and then remanded to judicial custody. Then, they shall be taken to Banda Jail where the petitioner’s father is currently lodged”, said the plea.
“This shall give the said persons the desired proximity to the petitioner’s father. Thereafter, these hired killers will be provided access to arms inside jail and an opportunity by way of a lapse in security systems that they can take advantage through complicit jail officials. The standard mode of operation is to give the attack the colour of a fight between the inmates in order to give the entire incident the misleading cover of a ‘gang-war’”, added the plea.
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