BJP MLA murder accused to be transferred to Jhansi jail

Ghazipur, Apr 28 (UNI) A Fast Track Court (FTC) today ordered immediate transfer of the three accused in BJP MLA Krishnanad Rai's murder case from the Ghazipur jail to Jhansi district jail.

Ghazipur district jailor P N Tiwari had sought the FTC permission regarding the jail transfer of ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari, his brother and controversial Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari and their brother-in-law Ejaj-ul-Haq.

The jailor's application was challenged by the trio, praying that their side of the story be also heard, before an order was passed on the transfer.

Hearing the case, FTC judge Shaileshwar Nath Singh ordered that the accused would remain in Jhansi jail till May 9 and appear before the court on May 10.

The court observed that they be transferred to a remote jail, if the motive behind the move was to conduct free and fair polling in the sixth and penultimate phase of Uttar Pradesh poll.

Considering the list provided by the jailor, the court selected Jhansi district jail for the transfer.

Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) had directed Afzal Ansari, Mukhtar Ansari and Ejaj-ul-Haq to be transferred to Jhansi, Agra and Hamirpur district jails respectively.

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

Later, an FIR was lodged against 10 people, including Mukhtar, Afzal and eastern UP gangster Munna Bajrangi. Afzal had surrendered in the court on December 8, 2005. Later, Mukhtar and Ejaj-ul-Haq also surrendered.

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

UNI