Jailed ruling SP MP Afzal Ansari against jail transfer

Ghazipur, Apr 12 (UNI) Imprisoned ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Afzal Ansari has petitioned the court against the move to transfer him to some other jail in the wake of the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly poll.

Afzal and his younger brother, controvertial Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari and brother-in-law Ejaj-ul-Haq are prime accused in the murder of Krishnanad Rai, a BJP MLA from Mohammadabad constituency here on November 29, 2005.

In his application before Fast Track Court (FTC) Judge Shaileshwar Nath Singh, Afzal alleged the administration was unnecessarily trying to mislead the Election Commission (EC) by demanding his transfer to some other jail.

Afzal has also requested the court to first hear his side before passing any transfer orders.

''I am an 'high category' undertrial, therefore, I ought to be given advanced medical facilities in the jail,'' he said.

The FTC has asked the jail administration to hand over a report by April 18, which is the next date of hearing.

Earlier in the day, Afzal appeared before the court hearing in Rai's murder case.

Now, the FTC only decides dates of the hearing in Rai's case. On January 24, Allahabad High Court had stayed the case being heard in FTC as long as the revision petitions filed by CBI and Afzal's lawyer are being heard in HC.

UNI