Continuing the drive against mafia and criminals who amassed ill-gotten wealth, the Uttar Pradesh government authorities razed a four-storey shopping complex owned by a contractor and close aide of jailed don-turned-politico Mukhtar Ansari in Mau on Saturday.
The demolished shopping complex was reportedly owned by Ansari’s crony of Umesh Singh and was built at a cost of about Rs 10 crore and it was operating for the last several years in Bhiti locality of Kotwali area in Mau city.
Identified as a close confidant of Ansari, Umesh Singh too has several criminal cases against his name in Mau and he also ‘dealt’ in coal trade in eastern UP.
Circle Officer (City) Dhananjay Mishra said that the illegal construction was demolished on the order of the city magistrate.
A case of illegal construction in Mau city magistrate's court was going on against Umesh Singh, Ajay Singh, Vijay Singh and Vinay Singh. On Friday the court issued an order for demolition of the shopping complex.
Well-placed sources said, “At the instance of the state government, a crackdown to weaken the empire of mafia was launched so that they did not raise their heads again and show their muscle power and commit crime. The crackdown on the fiscal empires, estimated to be to the tune of crores of rupees, of Mukhtar’s gang started from Mau district after May 31 and later action was taken in districts like Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Azamgarh and Varanasi. As of now, over Rs 60 crore worth movable and immovable properties of Mukhtar’s henchmen have been seized/freed by the government. The properties were allegedly earned by crime activities like extortion from businessmen and others.
