Banda, UP:

After the death of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari due to cardiac arrest, Umar Ansari, son of Mukhtar Ansari, claimed that his father was given poison in the food and said they would move to the judiciary. “We have full faith in it,” he added.

“I was not told anything from the administration side, I came to know about it through the media… But now the whole nation knows everything… Two days ago I came to meet him, but I was not allowed… We said earlier also and even today we will say the same about the allegation of giving slow poison. On March 19, he was poisoned in the dinner. We will move to the judiciary, we have full faith in it…” Umar Ansari, son of Mukhtar Ansari, said.

“Post-mortem will be conducted tomorrow, after that, they will give us the body. We will then follow with the further process (cremation)… My father alleged being given a slow poison… Around five doctors panel has been made (for carrying out the post-mortem),” Umar Ansari added.

Meanwhile, the body of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari has been sent for post-mortem at Banda Medical College Hospital, Banda.

After the death of the five time MLA, several political leaders extended their condolences. On Thursday, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi expressed his grief in support of the family of Mukhtar Ansari.

“I pray to Allah to forgive Mukhtar Ansari and give patience to his family and his loved ones. The people of Ghazipur lost their favourite son and brother. Mukhtar Saheb had made serious allegations against the administration that he had been poisoned. Despite this, the government did not pay any attention to his treatment. Condemnable and regrettable,” AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi posted on X.

Samajwadi Party leader Ameeque Jamei demanded a thorough investigation of Mukhtar Ansari’s death.

“We stand with the family of Mukhtar Ansari… Recently he said that he can be murdered anytime… Why he was not given a proper medical facility…We will demand a thorough investigation of the incident…”

Congress leader Surendra Rajput also questioned the death of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari due to cardiac arrest.
“Today Mukhtar Ansari’s death in the jail raises a big question BJP-led UP Government…This should be investigated thoroughly so that everyone gets to know what is going on…” said Congress leader Surendra Rajput.

The dreaded gangster was brought to the hospital around 8:25 PM, according to the official release from the hospital. A team of nine doctors attended to him before he died, the release added.

Expressing condolences over the death of Mukhtar Ansari, the Samajwadi Party shared a post on Twitter that read, “Sad demise of former MLA Shri Mukhtar Ansari. May his soul rest in peace. May the bereaved family members get the strength to bear this immense sorrow. Humble tribute !”.

On Tuesday, he was admitted to a hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda after he complained of abdominal pain. He was then shifted to Uttar Pradesh’s Rani Durgawati Medical College after his discharge on Tuesday.

Ansari was elected as an MLA from the Mau assembly seat five times, including twice as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate. He had a strong influence in Ghazipur, his hometown.

In April 2023, Mukhtar Ansari was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai by an MP MLA court. He was sentenced to life in prison on March 13, 2024, in a case related to the use of forged documents for obtaining an arms licence in 1990.

Before this, in December 2023, the MP/MLA Court of Varanasi had found Mukhtar Ansari guilty of threatening Mahavir Prasad Rungta, a witness in the murder of 26-year-old coal businessman Nand Kishor Rungta, and had sentenced him to five and a half years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 against him.

On October 15, last year, the Enforcement Directorate attached lands, a building and bank deposits worth more than Rs 73.43 lakh as part of the money laundering investigation against Mukhtar Ansari.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)