The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea by the wife of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s aide Sanjeev Maheshwari Jeeva, who was shot dead on Lucknow court premises, seeking anticipatory bail in a criminal case lodged against her.
The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal by a lawyer appearing for the wife of the gangster.
The lawyer told the bench that Jeeva was shot dead on Wednesday and sought protection from arrest for his wife to attend the last rites.
UP Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad assured the court that the state would not take any action against Jeeva’s wife Payal Maheshwari.
Payal Maheshwari approched the seeking interim protection from arrest in a Gangsters Act case and also sought bail to attend the last rites of her husband.
The alleged assailant, identified as Vijay Yadav (24), a resident of Jaunpur district, was caught on the spot after the shooting took place right outside a courtroom at around 4 pm, police said.
Eyewitnesses said the assailant was dressed as a lawyer and fired around six shots.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the formation of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
The assailant opened fire when Jeeva (48), who was serving a life term in a Lucknow jail, was brought to the court for hearing in a case.
