Punjab “shamelessly” protecting gangster Mukhtar Ansari: Uttar Pradesh govt tells SC

The Uttar Pradesh authorities on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that the Punjab authorities is “shamelessly” protecting gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who’s lodged in district jail Rupnagar in reference to an alleged extortion case, by not sending him to UP to face trial in a number of instances.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R. Subhash Reddy took be aware of the submission of senior advocate Dushyant Dave, showing for the Punjab authorities, looking for adjournment within the matter on private grounds.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, showing for the Uttar Pradesh authorities, stated he has no objection to Dave’s plea for adjournment.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, showing for Mr. Ansari, stated that he (Mukhtar) is “small fry” being cornered by the “might of the state”.

To this, Mr. Mehta stated, “You are such a small fry that a state (Punjab) is shamelessly protecting you.” The prime courtroom has posted the matter for listening to on March 2.

The apex courtroom was listening to a plea filed by Uttar Pradesh looking for a route to the Punjab authorities and Rupnagar jail authority to instantly hand over the custody of Ansari to district jail Banda.

It has additionally sought a route to switch the legal proceedings and trial within the extortion case in Punjab to the particular courtroom in Allahabad.

Mr. Ansari is lodged in district jail Rupnagar in Punjab since January 2019.

In its affidavit filed within the apex courtroom, Punjab had referred to the medical situation of Mr. Ansari and stated that he had been present process remedy at jail hospital in addition to different hospitals on occasion since January 2019.

While referring to the medical situation and recommendation of docs, it has stated that custody of Mr. Ansari “could not be handed over to the state of Uttar Pradesh due to the specific advice of the medical officers/medical board/specialists” on occasion.