The Last Arrest
Ansari, who was accused in 63 criminal cases including 14 of murder and was convicted and sentenced in 8 of these since September 2022, died of cardiac arrest in a hospital in Banda on Thursday 28th March 2024.
The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a magisterial inquiry into the demise of Mukhtar Ansari, the notorious criminal who later turned politician.
The 63 year old was transferred from Banda prison to Rani Durgawati Medical College for the second time within a week, just before his passing.
A three-member team will oversee the magisterial investigation, while a panel comprising two doctors will conduct the post-mortem examination on Friday, with the procedure to be recorded. After the autopsy, his body will be released to his son, Umar Ansari.
Following complaints of vomiting, Mukhtar was transported to Rani Durgavati Medical College from the district jail in an unconscious state.
Mukhtar had been in hospital since the last 14 days. Ansari’s family has alleged that the 63-year-old was being subjected to slow poisoning through the food provided to him while in Banda jail.
Mukhtar’s Rich Backstory
He came from a distinguished lineage deeply embedded in India’s struggle for independence. His paternal grandfather, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, was a prominent leader and party president of the Indian National Congress.
Brigadier Mohammad Usman, Mukhtar Ansari’s maternal grandfather, was a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.
Who was The UP Ganster-Turned-Politician?
Mukhtar, aged 63, held the position of MLA for five consecutive terms representing Mau Sadar constituency, spanning from 1996 to 2022.
During this period, he contested twice as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate, twice as an Independent, and once as a nominee of the Quami Ekta Dal.
Having been incarcerated in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005, he faced over 60 criminal cases.
The Gangster of UP
- Mukhtar Ansari’s criminal journey commenced at the young age of 15, facing law for criminal intimidation in 1978, Ghazipur.
- By 1986, Mukhtar had already gained notoriety in the contract mafia, with another murder case registered against him at Muhammad Police Station in Ghazipur.
- Over the following decade, Mukhtar’s criminal profile expanded significantly, accumulating at least 14 more cases under serious charges, solidifying his reputation as a prominent figure in the world of crime.
- Since 2005, he faced a staggering 28 criminal cases, including charges of murder, along with seven cases under Uttar Pradesh’s Gangster Act, marking him as a major target of law enforcement.
- From 2020 onwards, his gang was under intense scrutiny from Uttar Pradesh Police, resulting in the seizure or demolition of illegal assets worth a staggering ₹608 crore, reflecting the magnitude of his criminal empire and the authorities’ efforts to dismantle it.
Mukhtar Ansari’s political career
Mukhtar’s political career saw him elected as MLA from the Mau assembly constituency in eastern Uttar Pradesh an impressive 5 times spanning from 1996 to 2022.
Notably, he secured victory twice as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate, twice as an Independent, and once as a Quami Ekta Dal nominee, showcasing his versatility and widespread appeal among voters.
In a strategic move in 2022, Mukhtar Ansari decided to pass the political baton to his elder son Abbas Ansari, who, successfully carried forward the family legacy by winning from the same assembly seat as a candidate of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, which was in alliance with the Samajwadi Party at the time.
This transition marked a seamless succession plan and the continuation of their political influence in the region.
