The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed jailed Uttar Pradesh MLA Abbas Ansari to attend fatiha or special prayers on April 10 following the death of his father Mukhtar Ansari, the gangster-turned-politician who died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Banda on March 28.
“The petitioner has specifically averred that Fatiha is scheduled for tomorrow. We see no reason to deny him attendance of the ritual,” the court said.
Dictating the order, Justice Surya Kant said the petitioner shall be escorted from Kasganj jail to his hometown under police custody and with sufficient security measures in place.
The court directed the authorities to ensure that the petitioner begins his journey today, and no later than 5pm.
“Even if there are no rituals after 10th (April), petitioner be allowed to meet his family on 11th and 12th,” the court said.
Police authorities have been directed to conduct thorough security checks on visitors and ensure that no weapons are brought into the meeting premises.
The court ordered that the petitioner shall be returned to Kasganj jail on April 13 following the conclusion of his permitted family meetings.
Abbas Ansari, who is in judicial custody for a criminal case, had petitioned the apex court to attend his father’s last rites. On Friday, Ansari’s counsel told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sandeep Mehta that his plea could not be listed on time, urging the court to allow them to amend the petition and seek permission to attend fatiha scheduled on April 10.
The court directed the petitioner to serve a copy of the amended petition to the counsel representing the Uttar Pradesh government and scheduled the hearing for April 9.
Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar constituency, died on March 28 night at Rani Durgawati Medical College after being taken there from Banda jail when his health deteriorated. He was laid to rest in Ghazipur amid a blanket of security as a large crowd took part in the funeral procession.
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