The Supreme Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to hand over the medical and magisterial inquiry reports concerning the death of Mukhtar Ansari to his son, Umar Ansari. The gangster-turned-politician died under custody on March 28, 2024, sparking concerns and allegations from his family about the circumstances surrounding his death.
During the hearing, Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti responded to the plea presented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represents Umar Ansari. Umar had contended that despite repeated requests, the state had not provided the inquiry reports related to his father’s death, which was officially attributed to a cardiac arrest while at a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh.
Mukhtar Ansari, a significant political figure and a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar, had been incarcerated since 2005 and faced over 60 criminal charges, including a conviction for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. His prolonged incarceration and controversial figure in UP politics had led to his son petitioning the Supreme Court in December 2023 to transfer him to a prison outside Uttar Pradesh, citing fears for his safety.
The UP government had previously assured the court in 2023 that it would enhance Ansari’s security within the Banda jail to mitigate any risk to his life. Despite these assurances, Ansari’s death raised suspicions, particularly from his brother, Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, who alleged that Mukhtar was subjected to “slow poisoning” in jail, a claim the authorities have denied.
In light of these concerns, the Supreme Court’s directive aims to ensure transparency and accountability by allowing Umar Ansari access to all pertinent documents. Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, representing the UP government, confirmed the documents would be provided to Umar as instructed.
