TheUttar Pradesh government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the Punjabgovernment is "shamelessly" protecting gangster-turned-politicianMukhtar Ansari as he is not being handed back to UP where he faces trial forseveral heinous offences before a special MP/MLA court.
Ansariis lodged in district jail Rupnagar in Punjab in connection with an allegedextortion case.
SolicitorGeneral Tushar Mehta, representing the UP government, slammed the Punjabgovernment before a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan. Senior advocateDushyant Dave, representing the Punjab government, sought adjournment in thematter citing personal grounds.
Mehtasaid he has no objection to Dave's plea for adjournment. Senior advocate MukulRohatgi, representing Ansari, said his client is a "small fry", whois being cornered by a mighty state. Mehta replied that he is such a"small fry" that the Punjab government is protecting him. The topcourt has scheduled the matter for further hearing on March 2.
"Thestate of Uttar Pradesh is very much an interested party to find out how thenexus has taken place amongst the functionaries of the state of Punjab with theconduits of the accused gangster and history sheeter Mukhtar Ansari as also thesuspended officials of the State of UP in the said FIR," said the UPgovernment in its written submissions filed through advocate Garima Prasad.
TheUttar Pradesh government sought direction from the top court to the Punjabgovernment and Rupnagar jail authority to immediately hand over Ansari'scustody to district jail Banda. Ansari is lodged in district jail Rupnagarsince January 2019.
"Lookingat the chain of events and chronology it appears that the transfer of custodyof Respondent No 3 (Ansari) is meticulously planned and raises a strongsuspicion of conspiracy to delay the proceedings before the Special Judge(MP/MLA), Allahabad," said the UP government.
Inan affidavit, the Uttar Pradesh government had said Ansari has been shelteredin Punjab for the past two years on the basis of two FIRs against him."The respondent state of Punjab has made a mockery of the federalstructure of the Constitution law by seeking to defend an accused who is agangster and a history sheeter," said the affidavit by the UP government.
TheUP government added that more than 30 FIRs and more than 14 criminal trialsincluding heinous crimes of murder and under Gangster Act are pending againstAnsari in various MP/MLA courts, where his personal appearance is sought.
Slammingthe Punjab government's response, the UP government had said its response is anattempt to gloss over and draw a veil over its true intent to not produceAnsari before a court in UP.
"Thestate of Punjab has not proceeded with the investigation of the FIR No. 5 of2019 or filing of the chargesheet for two years even after arresting theaccused on January 22, 2019 and lodging him in jail since January 24,2019," said UP government.