'Formidable enough', says SC on steps taken by UP authorities for Mukhtar Ansari's security

New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government for the safety and security of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari -- whose son had petitioned the apex court apprehending that there is a plan to assassinate his father in Banda Jail prior to the 2024 polls.

After going through a confidential note detailing the security arrangements made by the state authorities, a bench presided over by Justice Hrishikesh Roy orally observed that the security measures “appear formidable enough”.

The bench, also comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, directed “the authorities in Uttar Pradesh state to continue with all the security measures to ensure that detenu Mukhtar Ansari is not visited with any unforeseen situation.”

The matter will be taken up for further hearing in the third week of July, 2024 on the request made by senior advocate Kapil, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner.

In the previous hearing, Additional Solicitor General K.M. Natraj, who appeared on state government’s behalf, had submitted that if required, an augmentation of security will be undertaken to ensure no harm is caused to Ansari within the precincts of the jail.

In his plea filed before the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution, Mukhtar Ansari’s son claimed that "state officials, rival politicians, and persons within the police establishment" have hatched a plan to murder the political figure, who has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), for five-consecutive terms from Uttar Pradesh’s Mau.

"As the petitioner’s father is from a political party that is in Opposition, politically and ideologically, to the ruling dispensation in the state, the petitioner, the petitioner’s father, brother and their family have been targets of persecution by the state," it stated.

Referring to the killing of Atiq Ahmed and his brother on live television and similar incidents, the petition claimed that there is “a disturbing trend of extra-judicial killings” in Uttar Pradesh.