The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on late gangster Mukhtar Ansari’s son Umar Ansari’s prayer alleging that his father died due to poisoned food and denial of treatment. Issuing notice, a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti also recorded the submission of Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the petitioner. Sibal asserted that “It was not a death simpliciter, but was the result of specific action taken by the jail authorities”. Sibal told the bench, “All we can say is.what we feared, happened.the man was sent back to the jail.this is shocking”. Justice Roy remarked, “We can’t bring him back.you were apprehending an encounter sort of a situation…” Sibal urged the court that there should be some inquiry into the matter. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj pointed out that the original petition was filed seeking transfer of Mukhtar Ansari to any jail outside Uttar Pradesh and protection for him. Nataraj sought four weeks to file response to the fresh notice. Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA who was in jail since 2005, died of a purported heart attack on March 28, 2024. It was concluded in his autopsy report that the cause of death was “heart attack/myocardial infarction”. Doctors also ruled out any poison in the viscera.
