Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest

New Delhi, Bahubali leader Mukhtar Ansari, who was a five-time MLA from Mau in Purvanchal, Uttar Pradesh, has passed away.

Mukhtar Ansari, lodged in Banda jail, fell ill on Thursday evening after which he was brought to Rani Durgawati Medical College.

According to the medical bulletin, 63-year-old Mukhtar Ansari was admitted to the emergency ward of the medical college by jail security personnel at 8.45 pm. He was brought in with complaints of vomiting and unconsciousness.

The bulletin said that the patient was provided immediate medical assistance by a team of nine doctors but despite best efforts, he died due to ‘cardiac arrest’.

Samajwadi Party has expressed grief over the death of Mukhtar Ansari by posting on social media platform X.

Samajwadi Party wrote, “Former MLA Shri Mukhtar Ansari’s demise, sad. May God give peace to his soul. May the bereaved family get the strength to bear this immense sorrow.”

Congress Party has raised questions on the Uttar Pradesh government regarding the death of Mukhtar Ansari.

Congress leader Surendra Rajput said, “The way Mukhtar Ansari died in jail today, it raises serious questions on the Bharatiya Janata Party government of Uttar Pradesh… Before this, an accused Munna Bajrangi was killed in jail. The killers openly kill all the accused while they are going to the hospital and leave. A criminal commits murder in the court. Is this the law and order of Uttar Pradesh, will the administration run in this way, will the jails run in this way?”

He said, “Mukhtar Ansari had alleged a few days ago that he was being given slow poison. And today the administration is saying that he died of a heart attack. There should be a high level investigation into this. The investigation should be done under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge so that people can know what is happening in the jails.

A case was registered against him for kidnapping the officer and coal trader Nandkishore Rungta and for involvement in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.

Krishnanand Rai was murdered in the year 2005. Despite being in jail at that time, Mukhtar Ansari was named in this murder case.

Was sentenced in these cases

The Ansari family has been in the news for the last few years. Many of Ansari’s alleged illegal properties in Mau were demolished.

In September 2022, the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court sentenced Mukhtar Ansari to seven years in prison for threatening a jailor. This case was of the year 2003.

A few days later, in a 1999 case, he was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment under the Gangster Act and a fine of Rs 50,000 was also imposed.

In July 2022, Mukhtar Ansari’s wife Afsa Ansari and his son Abbas Ansari were declared absconding.

In August 2020, the Lucknow Development Authority demolished Afzal Ansari’s house. It was alleged that this house was built illegally.

Mukhtar Ansari was kept in Rupnagar jail in Punjab since 2019 in a ransom case. Later he was shifted to Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh.

Mukhtar Ansari was elected MLA five times. Out of these, he has been a consecutive MLA from Mau four times. Once on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket, twice as an independent and once from his own party Qaumi Ekta Dal.