UP thanks Ansari: Gun case closed

STF officials now say there’s no conclusive evidence against the MLA from Mau, Azamgarh, in the gun case. ‘‘Neither was there any proof to show the weapon had been actually sold to Ansari nor was there any money transaction. The case has now been closed,’’ an STF official told The Indian Express.

The chargesheet is the culmination of a series of moves by the government to pull Ansari out of the mess. First, it removed the IG and DIG of Police, and the task force SSP from Varanasi, where the gun was found. Then, it wound up the STF in Varanasi, which was dealing with the case.

This was after the STF had recorded a confession from Army deserter Babu Lal Yadav, whom they nabbed in Varanasi while on his way to sell arms and ammunition allegedly to Ansari. Yadav conceded he had struck a deal with Ansari after the latter showed interest in purchasing the weapon.

One LMG, 11 magazines, 322 live cartridges of 7.62 bore and 21 shells were recovered from Yadav. And, STF officials said then that he had contacted Ansari’s associates in Mau from where he got the MLA’s mobile number.

The only flutter the ‘cover-up’ caused was when the STF’s DySP Shailendra Singh quit in February, citing increasing political interference. Singh had arrested Yadav and had pushed for charges under POTA to be slapped on Ansari. ‘‘It was unfortunate the government stopped the investigation into Ansari’s role even as STF has enough evidence,’’ Singh had told The Indian Express after faxing his resignation to the UP Governor.

Then, on March 26, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and state government on a suit filed by advocate Rohit Pandey, seeking a CBI probe into the case. The petitioner said the state machinery and CM Mulayam Singh Yadav were involved in protecting the legislator. But the CM went on to defend Ansari both inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha.