Don Mukhtar Ansari’s son and UP MLA, Abbas Ansari arrested by ED

New Delhi, Nov 05: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Abbas Ansari, a member of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly. He is the son of don, Mukhtar Ansari and was arrested by the agency after being questioned for 9 hours.

He was summoned for questioning after his name cropped up in a Prevention of Money Laundering case which was registered against his father.

The MLA from Mau was grilled in Prayagraj for nine hours. A lookout notice was issued against him after he skipped multiple summons by the ED. The case against his father was registered in March 2021.

The UP police had registered a case against him following which he was absconding. The UP police had booked him for a hate speech in the run up to the elections in the state that was held this year.

"Abbas Ansari was called by the ED for the second time today and he had come around 2 pm. The questioning lasted till 11 pm after which he was arrested and taken to some unknown place. Can't tell why they have been arrested and taken away," his lawyer Mohammad Farooq said.

Mukhtar Ansari is a former MLA from Mau and is facing more than 50 criminal cases across the country. He has a long criminal record and has spent a lot of time in jail. He is currently housed at the Banda district jail after being from Punjab on the orders of the Supreme Court.

Ansari's gang is listed in the records as inter-state gang 191. His assets have been seized under Section 14 A of the Gangster and Anti Social Activities Prevention Act. As a result of the actions by the UP police Ansari and his family have lost assets to the tune of Rs 390 crore.