Launching a crackdown against expelled mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari,the Uttar Pradesh Police has carried out raids in various districts of the state. Raids were carried out in different places in Varanasi,Ghazipur,Mau and Azamgarh on Monday against those who are associated with either Mukhtar Ansari or Brijesh Singh and some arrests were made, Home Department sources said. Mukhtar Ansari and his brother Afzal Ansari were expelled from the BSP recently. A party press release last week said they were involved in anti-party and criminal activities. Not only did Mukhtar lead a luxurious lifestyle he was shifted from Ghazipur to Mathura jail after items like an air cooler,a LPG stove and cylinder were found in his cell he also planned murders during his prison stay of four-and-a-half years,going by the records of the CBI and the state police. Mukhtar was sent to jail after he surrendered on October 25,2005 in a case of communal riots at Mau in which seven people were killed. Since then he has been named as an accused in five murders,the most prominent being that of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai in Ghazipur in 2007 which the CBI investigated. The cases lodged against Mukhtar when he was in Ghazipur jail: n Mukhtar and Afzal are charged with the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai who,along with six supporters,was shot dead in Ghazipurs Bhanwarkol on November 29,2005. The CBI submitted its supplementary chargesheet with vital evidence corroborating his involvement in the case, said CBI lawyer K P Singh,adding the proceedings in the case was stayed by the Supreme Court. n On July 30,2008,Dharmendra Singh,a witness in a murder case,was injured and his driver Pramod Yadav died when attacked by three assailants in Varanasis Sigra area. Dharmendras security guard fired in retaliation in which one of the assailants,Rakesh Yadav,died. Other two assailants,Abhay Yadav and Pawan Patel,were handed over to the police by the locals. A case was filed by the victim against the assailants and Mukhtar. During investigation,the victim submitted an affidavit in which he requested to drop proceedings against Mukhtar, said Varanasi DIG D K Thakur. n On April 19,2009,Kapil Dev Singh was shot at Supwara village,Ghazipur. Mukhtar among three persons was found to be involved in the case,which was solved on the basis of information collected from one of the accused,Chandan Yadav. Another accused,Radhey,is still absconding. Investigating officer Chandra Kant Singh said,The chargesheet has been filed. Mukhtar is also an accused. n Contractor Ajay Prakash Singh alias Manna Singh was shot dead at Ghazipur crossing in Mau on August 29,2009. The murder was found to be executed at the behest of Mukhtar,who was lodged in jail. We have filed a chargesheet against 10 persons,including Mukhtar, said IO Y P Singh. n In the latest case of March 19,2010,four men killed Ram Singh Maurya and his security guard Satish Kumar in Mau. IO Sandeep Singh said,Five persons,including Mukhtar,are named in the FIR.
