Krishnanand Rai murder case: Jailed don Mukhtar Ansari, others acquitted

New Delhi, July 03: After 13 long years, Jailed Mafia Don Mukhtar Ansari, his brother Afzal Ansari along with others acquitted by Delhi CBI Court in Krishnanand Rai murder case.

Rai was murdered on 29 November 2005, while attending a family wedding in his native village. He had been made aware of a death threat by Special Task Force officers, who warned him of hired killers at the residence of Mukhtar Ansari, a local politician and former gangster.

He was coaxed to start a cricket match in Siyari and was persuaded not to use his bullet-proof vehicle or guards.

He was ambushed on his way back home by assailants who used AK-47 rifles. Seven people died in total.

The killing caused an outrage in the region. Senior BJP leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L. K. Advani, Rajnath Singh, Kalyan Singh and Manoj Sinha demanded a CBI inquiry but the government initially rejected their calls for fear of being indicted.

Rai's body was riddled with over 21 bullets. The Allahabad High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry into case after his wife Alka Rai raised the demand.