Take custody of MLA Mukhtar Ansari by April 8, Punjab tells UP govt

Punjab's home department has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to take custody of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari from Rupnagar jail by April 8.

Ansari, who is wanted in various cases in Uttar Pradesh, has been lodged in Rupnagar district jail in connection with an alleged extortion case since January 2019.

In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the home department of Punjab asked for suitable arrangements to be made for the transfer of undertrial prisoner Ansari.

"The said handover is to be made at district jail Rupnagar on/before April 8," the letter stated.

Ansari suffers from certain medical conditions and the same may be kept in mind while making arrangements for his transport from Rupnagar jail to Banda jail in UP, it said.

The Punjab home department referred to the March 26 Supreme Court order that had directed the state government to transfer the MLA from Mau to Uttar Pradesh's Banda jail in two weeks.

Delivering the order, the apex court had also noted that Ansari was allegedly involved in various cases of attempt to murder, murder, cheating and conspiracy apart from offences under the Gangsters Act, lodged in Uttar Pradesh and 10 of these cases are at different stages of trial.