SC seeks reply from Punjab govt over UP’s plea for Mukhtar Ansari’s custody

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a reply from the Punjab government and also gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari on a plea filed by the Uttar Pradesh government seeking his custody in connection with the cases pending against him in the state.

A Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice M R Shah gave the Punjab government and Ansari two weeks time to respond.

The court also sought a report of Ansari’s medical condition. Ansari was brought to Punjab from a jail in Uttar Pradesh on production warrant in early 2019 in connection with an extortion case filed in Mohali. Since then, Ansari has been lodged in the Ropar jail.

In Uttar Pradesh, Ansari is a history-sheeter and has 38 cases of heinous crime lodged against him in the state.