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Mukhtar Ansari's wife moved the high court seeking full security for her husband as she alleged that Ansari is apprehending threat to his life in the jail, where he is at present incarcerated.
The Allahabad High Court has ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to ensure full security to Mukhtar Ansari while shifting him from one jail to another and while producing him before any court from jail or when he is taken out to any other place.
The bench of Justice Dr. Kaushal Jayendra Thaker and Justice Shiv Shanker Prasad further ordered that during his ingress and egress from jail, Ansari will be accompanied by the police personnel and no media person would be permitted to interview him.
"This order is being passed seeing the recent episode which occurred in the State of Uttar Pradesh, wherein in the garb of media persons some criminals had killed two under trial prisoners, who were in the custody of the Police Personnel," court said referring to the murder of Ateek Ahmad and Ashraf Ahmad.
Court, however, clarified that it is not against the media taking an interview of Ansari. "...but looking to the recent episode this restriction would be in the interest of the under trial prisoner for their safety and security," stressed the court.
Last month, the Ahmad brothers were shot dead in a shocking incident around 10 PM as they were being taken to a hospital in Prayagraj for a medical examination in the presence of police and the media.
In light of the same, Ansari's wife Afshan Ansari moved the high court seeking direction to the state government to provide adequate safeguards and protection to her husband who is currently lodged in District Jail Banda.
Ansari, who has been a Member of Legislative Assembly from Mau constituency five times, has a criminal history of 58 cases.
In reply to the plea of Afshan Ansari, the Deputy Superintendent of Police/Circle Officer, Mohammadabad, District-Ghazipur filed an affidavit stating that the jail authorities and the Police are taking every precaution for Ansari's security while keeping him in jail or bringing him outside the jail to produce him before the Trial Court.
The affidavit stated that whenever Ansari is brought out of jail, one Inspector, two Sub-Inspector, 2 Head Constables, 8 Constables and 2 drivers are used in order to provide security by the Superintendent of Police, Banda.
Further, as per the affidavit, on the report of the Superintendent of Police, Ghazipur, Additional Superintendent of Police, Ghazipur has been appointed as Nodal Officer for providing full-proof security while producing Ansari in court and in the way whenever he is produced in District Ghazipur.
The security has been provided in accordance with the norms and standards provided in Chapter-XXXV of the Jail Manual, the affidavit read.
Moreover, the affidavit pointed out that a total of 70 CCTV cameras have been affixed in the jail of which the Inspector General of Jail and the Inspector General of Police, Head Quarter are monitoring the security.
Court accepted the averments made in the counter affidavit, however, it requested the Director General of Police, U.P. to also ensure Ansari's safety.
Case Title: Afshan Ansari v. State Of U.P. And 4 Others
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