Judicial inquiry ordered into Mukhtar Ansari's death amid ‘slow poison’ claims
Uttar Pradesh remains on high alert in the wake of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's death, which has been marred by his family's allegations of poisoning. Security is heightened in multiple districts and a judicial probe has been ordered into his death.
A judicial inquiry has been ordered by Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhagwan Das Gupta into the death of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who passed away due to cardiac arrest at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Banda on Thursday night. The 63-year-old Ansari was brought to the Rani Durgavati Medical College Hospital in Banda from the district jail in "an unconscious state" and later died at the hospital.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Garima Singh has been appointed as the investigating officer in the matter.
A panel of two doctors will also perform his videographed post-mortem at Banda Medical College Hospital before handing over the body to his son, Umar Ansari.
His death has sparked allegations of foul play from his family and a high alert has been issued across several districts in Uttar Pradesh. Umar Ansari claimed that his father was "given poison in the food" on March 19, leading to his demise on March 29.
"We have full faith in the judiciary and will move the court over these allegations," Umar stated. Several politicians, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, echoed the ‘slow poison’ allegations.
Ansari's elder brother Sibgatullah also supported the poisoning claims, alleging that the former MLA was unwell for two weeks but denied proper treatment despite alerts being raised repeatedly.
However, former UP Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh refuted the poisoning claims as "absolutely baseless". "Accusing that he was being poisoned is a baseless allegation. The situation will become clear after the post-mortem," Singh told ANI.
The five-time MLA from Mau had a stronghold in his hometown Ghazipur. In April 2023, he was convicted of murdering BJP leader Krishnanand Rai. Ansari also got a life term in March 2024 in a case related to forged arms licence documents.
As authorities urge calm, Ansari's family awaits the post-mortem report to decide their next legal course over the alleged poisoning, which the former top cop has termed "baseless".
The state government has tightened security in Ghazipur, Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, and Varanasi districts to maintain law and order.
(With inputs from agencies)
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