Following the completion of postmortem formalities on gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari by a panel of five doctors, the local administration has initiated a judicial probe into his death.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate Banda has directed a three-member team to conduct the investigation and submit their findings within one month.
All proceedings, including the postmortem, were recorded as per protocol. Judicial probes are customary in cases of deaths in judicial or police custody.
During the postmortem examination, Mukhtar’s younger son Umar Ansari, along with other family members and a few individuals from Ghazipur, were present. The procedure lasted over an hour, after which Ansari’s remains were transported under heavy security to Ghazipur for the final rites.
The convoy, comprising 26 vehicles, including Vajras and ambulances, was closely monitored with CCTV cameras. Despite efforts by Ansari’s elder son Abbas Ansari, who is incarcerated, the High Court denied his request for parole to attend the burial.
In anticipation of Ansari’s arrival in Ghazipur, shops remained shuttered in Mohammadabad Yusufpur, his hometown. Security measures were intensified, with barricades erected outside his residence and restricted access to the premises. Ansari, a five-time MLA, passed away due to a cardiac arrest after being transferred from Banda jail to a hospital following deterioration in his health.
Amidst Ansari’s demise, his family alleges foul play, accusing authorities of administering “slow poison.”
Umar claimed that his father had conveyed this suspicion to them and raised concerns with the court through legal channels.
“We said this before also and even today we will say the same thing. On March 19, he was poisoned at dinner. We will move to the judiciary, we have full faith in it...,” he said.
In a petition filed by Mukhtar’s advocate in the High Court and the Supreme Court, it is alleged that he was poisoned twice during lunch in Banda jail, suggesting a concerted effort by the Government administration to eliminate him.
However, officials have refuted these allegations, asserting that the truth will be uncovered through the ongoing judicial probe.
As the investigation unfolds, the circumstances surrounding Ansari’s death continue to spark debate and scrutiny.
