Supreme Court permits Abbas Ansari to attend father Mukhtar's prayer

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted Abbas Ansari to visit his native place in Ghazipur between June 10 and 12 under police custody to attend private prayers for his deceased father Mukhtar Ansari.

A Bench presided over by Justice Surya Kant asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to ensure that the dignity and self-respect of female family members are maintained while it accompany him at his residence.

Earlier, the Bench, also comprising Justice KV Viswanathan, had granted interim bail to Abbas Ansari, who is currently detained in Kasganj district jail, to attend the 'fatiha' ritual on April 10 of his late gangster-turned-politician father Mukhtar Ansari.

It had ordered the Ghazipur district administration to verify if there were other rituals to take place from April 11 onwards and allowed the petitioner to participate in such rituals while in police custody. "If there are no rituals, still the petitioner will be allowed to meet his family members and relatives on April 11 and 12,” the apex court had said.

The Supreme Court had taken note of the fact that the petitioner could not attend the funeral of his father since he was under judicial custody.

Mukhtar Ansari -- accused of the killing of Awadhesh Rai, brother of Ajay Rai -- died of cardiac arrest on March 28.

While on interim bail, Abbas Ansari will not make any public speech, interact with the Press or participate in political activities.