Court allows son Abbas to attend prayer ceremony for his late father Mukhtar Ansari

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Abbas Ansari, the jailed son of late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, to attend a private prayer service in his Mohammadabad home in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district on June 10. The prayer ceremony is being held in memory of his late father.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan also permitted Abbas to meet his family members at his home on June 11 and 12.

The court has granted him permission to participate in rituals and meet his family while in police custody with the same arrangements as directed earlier by the court when it permitted him to attend the Fatiha ceremony of his late father in April.

Abbas Ansari has also been barred from talking to or addressing the media.

After the order was passed, the counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh requested the court to record that the order not be made a precedent. The court stated that the state could be advised to shift him to a nearby jail.

The UP counsel responded that, earlier, Abbas was lodged in a jail closer to his home, but due to his illegal activities inside the jail, he had to be shifted to Kasganj.

“If something illegal happens inside the jail, then that reflects on your poor administration,” the court remarked.

In its order, the court has directed that Abbas be taken to Ghazipur jail from Kasaganj jail where he’s currently lodged. After attending prayers on June 10, he would be brought to Ghazipur jail at 6 pm.

Similarly, he would be taken to his home in Mohammadabad, Ghazipur, and allowed to spend time with his family and relatives from 9 am to 6 pm on June 11 and 12.

The Director General of Police and district police authorities have been directed to ensure no incident takes place, make sure no weapons etc are carried by anyone, at his home or at the place where rituals take place.

The state police has been directed to make appropriate security arrangements for his movement between jails. Abbas will then be brought back to Kasganj jail on June 13.

The court noted that Abbas Ansari had sought interim bail to attend the funeral ceremony of his father, but the petition had become infructuous. The court also noted that, subsequently, Abbas was granted permission to attend the fatiha ritual on April 10, 2024, under police custody, and that he was also allowed to meet his family members for two days.