<p> Dons whose case files have vanished included mafia boss and expelled BSP legislator from Mau Mukhtar Ansari, independent MLA from Varanasi Ajai Rai, Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator and gangster Vijai Mishra and some other criminals.<br /><br />A majority of them were currently lodged in different jails in the state and facing serious charges, including those of murders, extortion, robbery and kidnappings, police sources said.<br /><br />These files pertained to the ongoing cases against the mafia-dons-turned-politicians and some other hardened criminals having political connections and their disappearance could hamper their conviction in the courts. <br /><br />"The disappearance of the files will have an adverse impact on their prosecution...the criminals may stand to benefit and evade conviction," said a police official.<br />Sources said in one particular incident the original FIR was missing from the file when hearing on the case against dreaded criminal Brijesh Singh began in a Varanasi court. <br />In another incident, the case diary pertaining to a case of attempt to murder lodged against Singh in 1995 was also found to be missing from a Varanasi court. Singh is well known for his connections with BSP leaders. <br /><br />Many of the mafia dons and criminals with political connections have been able to secure acquittals from the courts after the prosecution witnesses turned hostile in the courts during their deposition. <br /><br />State police chief Karm Veer Singh is learnt to have ordered an inquiry into the disappearance of the case files from the courts. Officials said that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the matter. <br /> DH News Service</p>
<p> Dons whose case files have vanished included mafia boss and expelled BSP legislator from Mau Mukhtar Ansari, independent MLA from Varanasi Ajai Rai, Samajwadi Party (SP) legislator and gangster Vijai Mishra and some other criminals.<br /><br />A majority of them were currently lodged in different jails in the state and facing serious charges, including those of murders, extortion, robbery and kidnappings, police sources said.<br /><br />These files pertained to the ongoing cases against the mafia-dons-turned-politicians and some other hardened criminals having political connections and their disappearance could hamper their conviction in the courts. <br /><br />"The disappearance of the files will have an adverse impact on their prosecution...the criminals may stand to benefit and evade conviction," said a police official.<br />Sources said in one particular incident the original FIR was missing from the file when hearing on the case against dreaded criminal Brijesh Singh began in a Varanasi court. <br />In another incident, the case diary pertaining to a case of attempt to murder lodged against Singh in 1995 was also found to be missing from a Varanasi court. Singh is well known for his connections with BSP leaders. <br /><br />Many of the mafia dons and criminals with political connections have been able to secure acquittals from the courts after the prosecution witnesses turned hostile in the courts during their deposition. <br /><br />State police chief Karm Veer Singh is learnt to have ordered an inquiry into the disappearance of the case files from the courts. Officials said that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the matter. <br /> DH News Service</p>