The Uttar Pradesh Police has intensified searches across nine States to arrest Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari, son of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in a case related to the alleged procurement of multiple arms fraudulently on a single arms license. Eight police teams have been sent to nab the MLA.
Lucknow police said in a statement: “Abbas Ansari is wanted in a case under Arms Act. Raids across the country in search of Abbas are going on. Eight teams have been sent to U.P., New Delhi, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, West Bengal, Uttarakhand along with Punjab, Chhattisgarh & Goa.”
The MP/MLA court on July 14 issued a non-bailable warrant against the MLA after he failed to appear before the court in the case of possessing multiple weapons on the same license, and transferring the license to Delhi without a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Mr. Abbas Ansari’s plea for anticipatory bail has been rejected by the court.
In the case, the First Information Report (FIR) was lodged under the Mahanagar Kotwali of Lucknow in 2019 against the first-time MLA from the Mau Assembly segment. The absconding MLA faces roughly half-a-dozen cases in Mau and Ghazipur districts of the State, including cases registered during the 2022 Assembly election campaign for allegedly obstructing government work, threatening officials, and making speeches against a particular class. The Hindu tried to contact the MLA but no response was received.
In recent times, the State government has attached or demolished properties worth more than ₹200 crore linked to the Ansari family. Last week, the police attached property linked to Mr. Abbas Ansari’s uncle and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Lok Sabha member, Afzal Ansari, in Ghazipur, worth ₹12 crore.
