Mukhtar Ansari, who is lodged in UP’s Banda jail, had recently told a court that his health has deteriorated because he was allegedly served poison-laced food inside the prison.

Uttar Pradesh News: Jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was rushed to a hospital on late Monday night and later shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after doctors recommended surgery. As per reports, Ansari has been suffering from a urinary infection from the past three days.

Mukhtar Ansari, who is lodged in UP’s Banda jail, had recently told a court that his health has deteriorated because he was allegedly served poison-laced food inside the prison.

‘Served poisoned food in jail’

On Thursday last, Ansari did not appear for hearing in Barabanki MP/MLA court, citing ill health. The jailed gangster told the court via his council he was served food laced with “poison” which caused his health to deteriorate.

“On the night of March 19, my food was laced with poisonous substance, following which my health has deteriorated…. I feel like I’m going to choke,” Ansari said in his application to the court filed through his lawyer Randhir Singh Suman.

He was scheduled to appear in the court in connection with a case of alleged fraud in the registration of an ambulance used to ferry him from jail to a court in Punjab a few years ago.

Ansari’s lawyer claimed that the gangster-politician’s health “completely fine” before this incident and therefore, he has requested the court to form a team of doctors for his proper treatment. Ansari alleged he was also given food laced with poison 40 days ago.

Suman said that during the hearing on Thursday, Ansari did not appear in the virtual hearing from the Banda jail and its deputy jailor Mahendra Singh appeared before the court and confirmed that Ansari was ill.

Ansari’s ill-health due to fasting: Doctors

Following Ansari’s application, a team of doctors examined Mukhtar Ansair at the jail and determined that his health had taken a hit due to fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

“Mukhtar is facing problems due to sudden overfeeding due to hunger. His medical report has been sent to the court by the jail administration,” the doctors said.

Jail authorities refute ‘baseless’ poison claim

Meanwhile, Banda jail Superintendent refuted Ansari poisoning allegations as “baseless”, stating that the food is first consumed by a constable and the deputy jailer before it is served to the jailed politician.

The Jail Superintendent asserted that the same food, which is served to Ansari, is also served to around 900 other prisoners besides the entire barrack is CCTV monitored and under the constant vigil of the police and PAC personnel.

“I myself monitor the entire security system. In such a situation, there is zero possibility of anyone poisoning Mukhtar Ansari,” he said.

The court has set March 29 as the next date of hearing in the case which was registered against Ansari and his 12 associates in March 2022.

(With PTI inputs)