After Atiq Ahmad, Now Mukhtar Ansari Under Radar of Central Agencies
After the properties of slain Atiq Ahmad, the benami (a purchase of property that is conducted in such a way as to hide the identity of the true buyer) properties of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari are under the radar of central agencies. The Income Tax department will soon question him on Rs 125 crores illegal wealth.
The IT department has launched Operation Panther to track benami properties of Mukhtar Ansari.
According to Income Tax authorities, they have found properties worth Rs 125 cr purchased in the name of Mukhtar Ansari’s relatives. Those properties purchased by Mukhtar’s relatives have names of him and his family as Director. The IT has identified around 11 such properties.
Sources suggest that action against Mukhtar Ansari’s illigal wealth will be taken in three phases.
In the first phase, Rs 125 cr illegal wealth has been identified. The second phase will include attachment of properties. In the third phase, Mukhtar Ansari will be questioned by authorities.
Murder case against Mukhtar Ansari
In January this year, a murder case was registered against Mukhtar Ansari in connection with 2001 ‘Usri Chatti’ gang war incident. The case was filed under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Mohammadabad police station in Ghazipur.
Earlier on January 18, Allahabad High Court had dismissed an order of the Ghazipur MP/MLA Court, which allowed Ansari to be kept in a superior-class jail in Banda.
Mukhtar’s brother may lose Lok Sabha membership
Meanwhile, Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Afzal Ansari, who is MP from Ghazipur, may face cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership in a 16-year-old gangster case, whose verdict will be pronounced on Saturday.
The arguments have been concluded in the MP-MLA Sessions court in Gahzipur. In this case, 17 people have testified (10 against Mukhtar Ansari and 7 against Afzal).
Money laundering probe against slain Atiq Ahmad
On April 12, the Enforcement Directorate seized Rs 75 lakh cash and documents related to 200 bank accounts and about 50 shell companies following searches in a money laundering probe against slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad.
