Wife of Mukhtar Ansari's aide seeks SC protection to attend husband's funeral

Gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari's aide Sanjeev Maheshwari Jeeva was shot dead on the premises of a Lucknow court on Wednesday

Wife of slain gangster Sanjeev Maheshwari alias Jeeva, an aide of Mukhtar Ansari who was shot dead on June 7, on Thursday approached the Supreme Court seeking protection from arrest in order to participate in funeral and last rites of her husband.

Jeeva, a dreaded criminal from Muzaffarnagar, was shot dead inside Lucknow court complex on Wednesday evening. He is considered to be a close aide of gangster politician Mukhtar Ansari.

Payal sought one-day protection from the top court to attend funeral of her husband.

Her counsel mentioned the matter before a vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal.

On behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad said the state government would have no objection if she is permitted to attend the cremation and other last rites.

Payal had already filed an special leave petition against the Allahabad High Court's order of May 30 dismissing her plea to quash the gangster case against her.

The bench put her plea for consideration on Friday.

The court also asked the petitioner's counsel to file an affidavit bringing on record the factum of death of her husband as it can't rely upon newspaper and TV report.