BJP MLA murder accused back to Ghazipur jail

Ghazipur, May 10 (UNI) All the three accused in the BJP MLA Krishnanad Rai murder case were today brought back to the Ghazipur jail from the Jhansi district jail under tight security.

In view of the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, the Fast Track Court (FTC) on April 28 had ordered the transfer of controversial Independent MLA Mukhtar Ansari, his brother and ruling Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari and their brother-in-law Ejaj-ul-Haq to the Jhansi jail.

The court had ordered that the trio would remain in the Jhansi jail till May 9 and directed them to apppear before the court on May 10.

The Ansari brothers appeared before FTC Judge Shailendra Singh, who extended their judicial custody till May 14, the next date of hearing.

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.

Later, an FIR was lodged against 10 persons, including Mukhtar Ansari, Afzal Ansari and eastern UP gangster Munna Bajrangi. Afzal 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.

There are about 70 witnesses in the case, including slain BJP leader's sibling Raman Rai. Several of the key witnesses have died under mysterious circumstances.

UNI