Ignoring request from Banda district administration on not shifting don-turned-BSP legislator Mokhtar Ansari to the district jail, the state government shifted the incarcerated ganglord to Banda amid tight security cover on Thursday.

Apprehending his shifting from lucknow district jail, Ansari had claimed that Union minister and BJP MP Manoj Sinha and his confidante and rival don Brijesh Singh wanted to get him eliminated. 

Two days back, the jail administration ordered shifting of Ansari to Agra Central jail, but the district magistrate requested that Ansari not be housed in the Central Jail as he had earlier stayed there and developed a syndicate to operate illegal activities. After this, the government decided to shift Ansari to Banda district jail on Wednesday. 

Menahwile on Wednesday, Ansari told media persons that Sinha wanted to get him killed and that his life was under threat. He said that he was transferred from lucknow district jail to Banda Jail with  the intention of eliminating him.

Taking into account Anssari’s threat perception, the government ensured tight security led by Deputy SP Vimal Srivastava during the transit on Thursday. Besides, an additional one and a half section of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel and two more Deputy Jailors have been provided for security of Ansari in Banda district jail.

While issuing the orders to shift Ansari to Banda district jail, the state government maintained that it was done on administrative grounds. Ansari was earlier accused in the murder of BJP MlA Krishnanand Rai. The BSP legislator was transferred to lucknow district jail in June, 2016 from Agra Central Jail where he has been lodged since 2005.