Last Updated: July 02, 2023, 20:57 IST
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann accused the Congress of giving VIP treatment to gangster Mukhtar Ansari. (PTI/File)
Mukhtar Ansari is currently lodged at the Central Jail of Punjab serving a life sentence in 32-year-old Awadesh Narain murder case. CM Bhagwant Mann said Ansari was kept in a jail in Punjab because of his “friendship” with leaders from the Congress
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday announced that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would not pay the lawyers’ fee of Rs 55 lakh for Uttar Pradesh’s gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari to fight a case in the Supreme Court and the amount should be recovered from the former Congress Home minister.
Ansari is currently lodged at the Central Jail of Punjab serving a life sentence in 32-year-old Awadesh Narain murder case. Mann, in a tweet, said that Ansari was kept in a jail in Punjab because of his “friendship” with leaders from the Congress. “This money will be recovered from then Home Minister Amarinder Singh and Jails Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa. In case of non-payment, their pension and other government benefits will be cancelled,” tweeted Mann.
The AAP government has accused the previous Congress regime of providing “VIP treatment” to Ansari when he was lodged at Rupnagar jail in the state.
Senior minister Harjot Singh Bains had in the assembly session alleged that Ansari was kept in Rupnagar jail for two years and three months after a “fake” First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against him. “He (Ansari) was given VIP treatment and his wife stayed with him. Five-star facilities were given to him,” the Minister told the House, adding, “It is a serious issue. I am a jails minister and I came across a case in which gangster Mukhtar Ansari was kept in Rupnagar jail for two years and three months.”
The Minister said the Uttar Pradesh government had to move the Supreme Court to get Ansari’s custody.
He further said senior lawyers were engaged to “save” Ansari by the then state government and the fee of a lawyer was Rs 11 lakh for appearing in the case. He also claimed a bill of Rs 55 lakh on account of fee of the advocates. “Why should we pay Rs 55 lakh for keeping a gangster? I have ordered registration of FIR in the case,” Bains had said.
