Jailed criminal fears threat to life

Dreaded underworld don Sanjeev Maheshwari, alias Jeeva, lodged in the state capital jail fears threat to life, his wife Payal Maheshwari alleged on Tuesday and demanded authorities to provide adequate security to him.

"He (Jeeva) should be provided adequate security as directed by the high court. My husband can be killed in custody and it may be termed an encounter," Payal told reporters here.

She said he should be produced before court under adequate security, which he presently is not getting.

Maheshwari is convicted in BJP leader Brahma Dutt Dwivedi murder case and is lodged in Lucknow jail.

In July last year, mafia don Munna Bajrangi was shot dead inside Bagpat's district jail by one of his rivals, Sunil Rathi.

According to police, Rathi had shot him with a pistol.

Bajrangi, a sharpshooter of mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was killed a day after he was shifted from Jhansi jail to be produced in a court in a case related to the demand of extortion money from a former MLA.

Bajrangi was also named in the killing of former BJP MLA Krishanand Rai from Mohammdabad, the den of Mukhtar Ansari.