Lucknow, July 28: The Uttar Pradesh Police has uncovered serious irregularities in the issuance of weapon licenses to the gang of notorious criminal Mukhtar Ansari and his family. Based on the investigation, five cases have been registered against MP Afzal Ansari, Mukhtar Ansari’s wife Afsa Begum, gang associates, and former weapon clerks and officials in Ghazipur district.
Under the directives of the Police Chief, the Special Task Force (STF) conducted this investigation under the supervision of the Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Varanasi range. During the inquiry, physical verification was carried out for a total of 43 license holders, including five family members of Mukhtar Ansari, 11 gang members and associates, and 27 allegedly fraudulently issued weapon licenses, along with over 80 associated weapons.
The investigation revealed that original documents for several weapon licenses and records related to the purchase and sale of firearms are missing from the District Magistrate’s office in Ghazipur. According to the police, these records were allegedly removed in collusion with former weapon clerks and officials to conceal the actual status of the firearms and prevent detection of their misuse. One case also revealed the acquisition of a weapon license based on a fraudulent address.
In the five cases registered based on the investigation, MP Afzal Ansari is accused of tampering with records related to various weapon licenses and influencing the verification of firearms. Meanwhile, Afsa Begum is also accused of destroying records related to the purchase and sale of revolvers. Additionally, gang associate Mohammad Shahid is charged with obtaining a weapon license using a fake address, while the former station in-charge and local clerk are accused of submitting reports without proper verification.
To investigate these matters, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed under the leadership of the Additional Superintendent of Police (City), Ghazipur. The police stated that the roles of former and current weapon clerks, responsible officials, and other accountable staff will also be thoroughly examined, and strict legal action will be ensured against those found guilty. The verification campaign for other weapon licenses and firearms issued to the Mukhtar Ansari gang and its associates is still ongoing. Should any further irregularities arise during the investigation, legal action will also be taken regarding those findings.
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