Uttar Pradesh government bulldozes houses of alleged aides of Mukhtar Ansari in Banda district

Authorities in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday bulldozed two houses belonging to alleged aides of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, saying they were constructed illegally.

They said the alleged aides provided logistics and other support to Ansari.

"Illegally constructed houses of Rafiqusmad and Iftikar have been razed in Banda district. The duo used to provide logistic and other support to Ansari," Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said.

The police also recovered double barrel guns and cartridges from the houses, he said.

The officer said Rafiqusmad's house near Rafiq nursing home in Aliganj area and Iftikar's house at Zila Parishad crossing were demolished as maps for the same were not approved.

Police has recovered cash worth Rs 7 lakh from Rafiqusmad's house.

While Rafiqusmad used to provide logistic and other support to Ansari, Iftikar used to provide residential facilities to the gangster-turned-politician's family, he said.

Officials said the process to cancel the licence of the firearms has also been initiated after the recovery of the double barrel guns and keeping more than permitted limit of cartridges.

The district administration in Ghazipur had on Sunday demolished a building built by Ansari's aide Kamlesh Singh.

Authorities had also demolished a two-storey house belonging to Ansari's sons, Abbas and Umar Ansari, in Jahangirabad locality in Mau district.

Ansari is presently lodged in Banda jail. His son Abbas Ansari, an MLA of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party from Mau, is in prison in connection with a money laundering case. He is currently lodged in the Kasganj district prison.