Mukhtar Ansari hospitalised, condition 'stable'; brother alleges he was poisoned in jail

Lucknow, Mar 26 (PTI) Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was admitted to the ICU at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district early Tuesday with a complaint of abdominal pain.

His brother and Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, who reached the hospital, alleged that he was given poison in jail. He told reporters that Mukhtar Ansari is in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is conscious.

An official statement of the prison department released in Lucknow said, "Due to the sudden deterioration in the health of prisoner Mukhtar Ansari and falling in the toilet in the night, he was immediately given treatment by the jail doctor.

"After informing the district administration, a team of doctors was called by which the prisoner was referred to the medical college in the night itself. The prisoner was admitted to Medical College Banda under police protection where he is undergoing treatment." According to a medical bulletin issued by the Banda Medical College, "Mukhtar Ansari was admitted there at 3.55 am with a complaint of pain in the abdomen... The patient is admitted and conservative treatment has started. Patient is stable currently." Mukhtar Ansari, 60, is a five-time former MLA from Mau Sadar seat and has been behind bars in UP and Punjab since 2005. He has over 60 criminal cases pending against him. He has been sentenced in eight cases since September 2022 by different courts of UP and was lodged in the Banda jail.

His name was on the list of 66 gangsters issued by Uttar Pradesh Police last year. His family members had earlier expressed apprehension that Mukhtar Ansari could be killed in a fake encounter.

Afzal Ansari claimed on Tuesday, "Mukhtar said that he was given poisonous a substance in food in jail. This happened for the second time. Around 40 days ago also he was given poison. And recently on March 19 of March 22, he was again given this (poison) due to which his condition is bad." Afzal Ansari said that during the virtual hearing of a case in a Barabanki court on March 21, Mukhtar's lawyer had filed an application in the court alleging that his client had been given "slow poison" in jail due to which his condition was deteriorating.

Mukhtar Ansari's son Umar Ansari alleged that he was not allowed to meet his father despite his name being on the visitors' list along with that of his uncle Afzal Ansari.

Umar told reporters that he had travelled 900 km during the Ramzan fast to see his father but he was not allowed "to even have a glimpse of him".

“All things aside ... humanity is also something,” he added.

Afzal Ansari claimed that the hospital authorities were under pressure. He said he had requested for a meeting with the principal of the medical college but was not allowed.

"He (principal) appeared helpless," he said "I have talked to the doctor, he is a surgeon. This is not a matter of surgery. He had constipation and was treated. But due to gas, his stomach is swollen and he could not talk properly," Afzal Ansari said.

He had earlier in the day told PTI, "We have got a message from Mohammadabad police station in Ghazipur informing us that Mukhtar is ill and is being admitted to Medical College, Banda. Family members have been asked to come for his help." He said he had called the Chief Minister's Office before leaving for Banda but could not contact Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is in Gorakhpur.

He said the purpose of calling the Chief Minister's Office was to request that his brother be admitted to the Medanta Hospital in Lucknow or any other big hospital if adequate arrangements are not made at Banda Medical College.

"If the government does not bear the cost of treatment, the family will bear this expense," he said.

Mukhtar Ansari's relative Mansoor Ansari, who visited the Banda Medical College, claimed he was not allowed to meet him and was asked to get permission from the Banda jail superintendent.

Mukhtar Ansari's lawyer Naseem Haider after meeting him said his condition can be termed a "little bit better".

"His ultrasound and other reports are awaited," he said. PTI ABN RT RT