The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday has provisionally attached properties in the form of land and commercial buildings in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau and Ghazipur district and Rupees 1.5 lakh in the bank account of dreaded gangster Mukhtar Ansari who was awarded life imprisonment in the 1991 Awadhesh Rai murder case.

The properties had a book value of Rupees 73,43,900 and were acquired by Abbas Ansari at an undervalued consideration of Rupees 71.94 lakh as against the government rate of Rupees 6.23 crore.

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“ED has provisionally attached properties worth Rs. 73,43,900/- (book value) in the form of land, commercial building situated in Mau and Ghazipur Distt. of UP (these properties were acquired by Abbas Ansari at undervalued consideration of Rs. 71.94 lakh as against government rate of Rs. 6.23 Crore) and Rs. 1.5 lakh in bank account of Mukhtar Ansari under the provisions of PMLA…on 14.10.2023,” ED said in a post on ‘X’.

Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on Mukhtar Ansari’s plea challenging the Allahabad High Court order convicting him under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.
A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi sought a reply from the Uttar Pradesh government on Ansari’s plea. Ansari has challenged Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow judicature order dated September 23, 2022, whereby the High Court overturned the trial court’s order.

The High Court convicted Ansari under Section 2/3 of the Gangsters Act and sentenced him to five years’ rigorous imprisonment. The HC set aside the trial court order which acquitted him in the case.

A Lucknow court had on December 23, 2020 acquitted Ansari under the offence of Section 2/3 of The Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The case against Ansari was lodged at Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow.
A charge sheet in the matter was filed against Ansari and 24 other co-accused. The prosecution alleged that the accused Ansari and other co-accused were part of a gang that committed heinous offences, including murder, extortion, kidnapping and abduction.