Mukhtar Ansari shifted to Kanpur jail

The Government has ordered the shifting of don-turned-MLA Mukhtar Ansari from the Ghazipur jail to the one in Kanpur allegedly on the directives of the EC. Sources in the state Home Department confirmed that the Ghazipur district administration have been informed about the decision.

Mukhtar Ansari who is facing charges for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai,is the Bahujan Samaj Partys candidate from Varanasi. He has been pitted against senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi. The shift to Kanpur is likely to be a setback for Mukhtar. He is in position to influence the poll process from the Ghazipur jail, a source said. According to reports he is likely to be shifted Wednesday night.

The EC has made it clear that jail inmates can be transferred from one jail to another either on the basis of a court order or after procuring permission from the EC.