In April and May, the OpIndia team conducted an investigation tour into the criminal record of Mukhtar Ansari, a notorious mafia who has been leading criminal activities in Uttar Pradesh for many years. During this period, we spoke with several individuals who had been victims of Mukhtar’s atrocities, each sharing their unique experiences. In addition to being implicated in cases involving murder, attempted murder, land grabbing, and extortion, Mukhtar Ansari also faces allegations of tampering with files related to the charges filed against him, causing them to go missing.
During the interaction with OpIndia, certain victims raised allegations regarding the influence and political pressure exerted by Mukhtar Ansari on the judicial system. Additionally, the victims and their legal representative accused the judges of taking leaves prior to delivering a verdict against Mukhtar and further alleged that an unjust decision was reached in cases against him.
Mukhtar Ansari did not appear in court for 4 years
OpIndia spoke with Ashok Singh, the brother of Ajay Singh, also known as Manna, who was allegedly murdered by Mukhtar Ansari in 2009. Ashok Singh stated that following his brother’s murder, another witness in the case named Ram Singh Maurya, along with his government-appointed gunner, were also killed in 2010. Furthermore, Ashok Singh stated that Mukhtar Ansari evaded appearing in the Mau court for a period of four years in connection with this case.
According to Ashok Singh, Mukhtar Ansari managed to obtain his absence in other cases during this time. As a result, four years passed, leading to the year 2014. Ashok revealed that during these four years, Mukhtar did not directly engage in legal battles but attempted to manage or manipulate the judges involved in the case.
The district judge had withdrawn from the case on the day of the verdict
Ashok Singh also revealed that court proceedings started after four years, during which time Mukhtar Ansari deliberately avoided attending his brother’s murder case. He stated, “After four years, in 2014, the court proceedings took place, and the day arrived for Mukhtar Ansari’s sentencing in the court of District Judge Anirudh Singh in Mau. The announcement of the verdict date was made, and in the evening, individuals connected or unrelated to the case gathered in the courtroom. All the accused were present and handcuffs were ordered. It appeared that the judge was prepared to deliver the verdict.”
मन्ना सिंह हत्याकांड में पीड़ितों के आरोप- मुख्तार अंसारी पर फैसला सुनाने वाले दिन ही केस से अलग हो गए थे जिला जज
— Rahul Pandey (@STVRahul) May 17, 2023
दूसरे जज आदिल आफताब ने मुख्तार को किया था बरी तो भरी कोर्ट में मिलीं गालियां और लगा 5 करोड़ की रिश्वत का आरोप
हाईकोर्ट में हुई थी शिकायत
माफिया तय करता था DM व SP pic.twitter.com/ePz6byvr0t
Ashok Singh mentioned that on the same day, Mukhtar Ansari had filed a petition in the High Court, seeking to have his case transferred from the court of District Judge Anirudh Singh. However, the petition was subsequently rejected. Describing the sequence of events, Ashok shared, “After some time, when the judge went inside, he did not reappear. During this time, the case file was transferred to the Additional District Judge (ADJ). This transfer was allegedly influenced by the pressure exerted by Mukhtar Ansari.” Ashok Singh also mentioned that he had heard that there was significant pressure on Judge Anirudh Singh.
Judge Adil Aftab’s verdict is questionable, says the victim
Following the district judge’s withdrawal from the verdict proceedings in the murder case of Ashok Singh’s brother Manna in 2014, the case was subsequently transferred to Sessions Judge Adil Aftab’s court. Ashok Singh said that the case remained under Adil Aftab’s jurisdiction from 2014 to 2017. However, in 2017, Adil Aftab acquitted Mukhtar Ansari in the murder case of Manna Singh.
Reflecting on the day of the verdict, Ashok Singh recalled, “Our lawyer intended to submit an application to the district judge, urging for a transfer of the case from Adil Aftab’s court. However, on that particular day, neither the accused nor the opposition appeared in court. Surprisingly, despite their absence, Adil Aftab delivered the verdict.”
Complaint against Judge Adil Aftab in the High Court
Expressing his dissatisfaction with the verdict delivered by Sessions Judge Adil Aftab, Ashok Singh took action by lodging a written complaint with the Chief Justice and Registrar of the High Court. In his complaint, Ashok Singh urged for a thorough investigation into the judgment issued by Judge Adil Aftab. He emphasized that if Mukhtar Ansari was acquitted by labelling the murderers of his brother, Manna Singh, as hired shooters, it should be revealed who orchestrated their involvement. Ashok Singh questioned why the court did not delve into this matter more deeply during the verdict.
However, Ashok Singh remains unaware of the outcome of the investigation regarding the complaint filed against Judge Adil Aftab. He mentioned that he had submitted the complaint twice, but due to the confidentiality surrounding judicial investigations, he is unaware of any developments or conclusions reached.
During the court proceedings, the judge was accused of bribery
OpIndia interviewed Sunil Singh, an aide and advocate of Ashok Singh at Mau District Court, who shed light on the acquittal of Mukhtar Ansari in the Manna Singh murder case. According to Advocate Sunil Singh, during the pronouncement of the verdict, another convicted individual named Raju Kanojia openly accused Judge Adil Aftab of accepting a bribe in a packed courtroom. Advocate Sunil Singh stated, “When the verdict was announced, Raju Kanojia, who had been sentenced, boldly exclaimed in the presence of approximately 30 to 40 policemen, ‘If five crore rupees were taken to deliver this verdict, why did you punish us?'”
Advocate Sunil Singh asserts that these statements were made by Raju Kanojia in the courtroom, in front of a significant number of police personnel.
Court did not take any cognizance when the witnesses were being killed one after the other
Advocate Sunil Singh represents Harendra Singh, the plaintiff in the Manna Singh murder case. He revealed that after Manna Singh’s murder, the witness in the case, along with his bodyguard, were also killed. But the court failed to take any notice of these incidents.
Both Ashok Singh and his lawyer, Sunil Singh, have filed a challenge in the High Court against Mukhtar Ansari’s acquittal in the Manna Singh murder case. Furthermore, they mentioned that the state government has also approached the High Court to contest this decision. Ashok Singh informed us that both appeals have been accepted by the High Court, and the hearing is currently pending. Click here to know in detail about the Manna Singh murder case.
Mukhtar Ansari used to choose the DM and SP of the district
Prince Yadav, a District Panchayat member from Mau, referred to the period when the Samajwadi Party was in power and expressed how Mukhtar Ansari wielded influence even over judges. He stated, “During the governments of other parties, judges would refrain from delivering verdicts due to fear of Mukhtar Ansari. Whenever a verdict was anticipated, the judge would conveniently take a leave of absence.” Prince Yadav noted the change in the current Yogi government and observed that the same judges now openly rule against Mukhtar Ansari.
Additionally, Prince Yadav mentioned that Mukhtar Ansari would choose District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) as he desired and managed to make their appointments as per his wish. Yadav said, “Those DMs or SPs who received a phone call from him (Mukhtar Ansari), would disregard everyone else’s opinions.” Prince Yadav has called for an investigation into all the DMs and SPs who served during Mukhtar Ansari’s tenure.
