Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sub-zonal unit arrested MLA Abbas Ansari, son of don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in a money laundering case on Friday. The arrest came after Abbas was called by the ED Prayagraj unit for questioning. After interrogation till 11.30 pm, ED arrested Abbas Ansari on the ground that he was not cooperating in the investigation relating to the case registered against his father Mukhtar Ansari.
After the arrest, Abbas Ansari was taken for medical examination. Abbas Ansari's driver, Ravi Prakash Sharma, said, "the ED has arrested him and took him to some unknown place." The driver also said that he was also called by the ED to check his id-card and other documents. Heavy police were also deployed outside the ED office to avoid any untoward situation.
While talking to the media, advocate Faruk said, "upon being asked about where Abbas Ansari was being taken, officials refused to tell anything. The ED officials took Abbas in a vehicle." He further said that Abbas was being questioned by the ED from 2 pm till 11 pm and now he has been taken to some unknown location."
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Abbas had recently surrendered in the MP-MLA Court on October 21 after which he along with his brother Umar Ansari including three others were taken into judicial custody but were granted bail after three hours. After this, the MLA appealed for relief in the Supreme Court, on which Abbas was given interim relief of four weeks from arrest in the case of illegal arms registered in Lucknow.
Abbas Ansari won in Mau assembly constituency on the Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket in 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections.
