Jailed gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari hospitalized amid poisoning allegations
Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari has been admitted to a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district after his health deteriorated, his family said on Tuesday. Following a diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), surgery was recommended by the doctors, and he was promptly transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital, reports said. This development comes days after Ansari told a Barabanki court that he was allegedly being poisoned inside the jail.
Why does this story matter?
Ansari, who has served as MLA from Mau several times, is facing sentences in multiple cases and is currently lodged in Banda jail. One of the cases pertains to alleged fraud involving the registration of an ambulance used for his transportation from jail to court in Punjab years ago. Notably, Afzal Ansari, his brother and a former MP from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has also alleged that prison authorities are conspiring to murder his brother.
Ansari's lawyer seeks medical team amid poisoning allegations
According to Ansari's lawyer, Randhir Singh Suman, his client's health deteriorated after purportedly consuming poisoned food on March 19. Suman told the court that his client described feeling as if he was choking and appealed to the court for a medical team to provide appropriate treatment. The lawyer claimed that Ansari was in good health before this incident. The health crisis also allegedly prevented him from attending a hearing at the district MP/MLA court.
Medical examination conducted; Ramzan fasting cited as reason
After a thorough medical examination and blood tests by a team of doctors, Ansari was prescribed medication, according to reports. Doctors also noted that his fasting for Ramzan was causing him additional difficulties, reports added. Earlier, Afzal had also alleged that jail authorities were neither allowing his lawyer to meet him nor inform his family about his condition.
Jail authorities refute poisoning claims
In response to the allegations, the jail authorities have dismissed these allegations. According to reports, the authorities have said that all inmates eat the same food and no other health complaints have been reported. Two days ago, the government suspended a jailer and two deputy jailers due to negligence in the security arrangements of Ansari.
