BJP MLA murder accused remanded in police custody

Lucknow, Jan 3 (UNI) A prime accused in the high-profile Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case, Mansoor Ahmed Ansari was today remanded in police custody for two days.

The accused had recently surrendered before a special CBI court here. The CBI had requested the court to remand Ansari in its custody for 10 days for facilitating interrogation.

However, Special Magistrate (CBI) U C Pandey remanded the accused for two days only.

Rai, an MLA from Mohammadabad constituency in Ghazipur district, and his seven supporters were shot dead in broad daylight in Ghazipur on November 29, 2005.

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 controversial Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari, his brother and ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari and notorious eastern UP gangster Munna Bajrangi in connection with the killing.

Both the Ansari brothers are in jail at present.

Afzal had surrendered in the court on December 8, 2005.

On the petition of Rai's widow Alka, the Allahabad High Court had ordered CBI to investigate the case.

UNI