UP MLA Mukhtar Ansari appears in Mau communal riots case

Mau, Jun 24 (UNI) Don-turned-Independent MLA from Mau in Uttar Pradesh Mukhtar Ansari and 32 others today appeared before a court in connection with the Mau communal riots case.

Mau district and sessions judge S K Tripathi posted the case for next hearing to July 6.

Meanwhile, the statement of two witnesses were recorded. So far 23 of the 24 witnesses in the case have turned hostile.

On May 20, the court had fixed charges against the 33 accused.

The charges pertained to murder and attempt to murder during the communal riots, which had rocked Mau on October 14, 2005 during a 'Bharat Milap' ceremony.

The MLA, alongwith his elder brother and Samajwadi party MP Afzal Ansari and brother-in-law Ejaz, are also prime accused in the assassination of Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad assembly constituency in Ghazipur district, and his seven supporters were shot dead in broad daylight in Ghazipur on November 29 last year.

They were ambushed near the Ballia-Ghazipur border by several motorcycle-borne miscreants armed with sophisticated weapons.

Later, an FIR was lodged against 10 persons including Mukhtar, Afzal and notorious east UP gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing.

Afzal surrendered in the court on December 8. The Ansari brothers ard Ejaz are presently lodged in Ghazipur district prison.

UNI XC/VS VD HT1502