Cops probe links between arrested west UP gangster & Mukhtar Ansari

BIJNOR: A day after Delhi Police special cell arrested fugitive western UP gangster Shahnawaz Ansari and his sharpshooter Jabbar in connection with a sensational double murder of BSP leader Haji Ehsaan and his nephew in May this year, local police here claimed that they are probing a link between Shahnawaz, leader of local Ansari gang, and notorious mafia don Mukhtar Ansari .

Senior police officials suggested that Shahnawaz, who orchestrated the double murder to get rid of his rival Haji Ehsaan in the property business, is most likely getting support from Mukhtar, currently in jail.

On Sunday, superintendent of police (rural), Vishvajeet Shrivastava claimed, “We have some information about a link between Shahnawaz Ansari and Mukhtar Ansari. Shahnawaz is the main accused in the double murder case involving the killing of BSP leader Haji Ehsaan. Police are probing their connection. However, police are yet to unearth any concrete proof.”

Both Shahnawaz from Najibabad’s Kanakpur village and Jabbar from Gulistan mohalla were at large for the past five months after having shot the BSP leader and his nephew Shadab at Najibabad on May 28. The double murder rocked the police department. One of the accused Danish was arrested earlier. Bijnor police, however, had failed to arrest the main accused Shahnawaz and others.

The cops had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 on each a few months ago. Police were in the process of attaching their properties. The rest of the accused reportedly hid in Delhi and were operating as a gang. A Delhi Police special cell team received a tip off. After tracking them, the sleuths managed to arrest them from Delhi’s Jagatpuri on October 11. However, local police kept mum over their arrest.

Amidst all of this, Bijnor police on Sunday admitted that Shahnawaz had rivalry with BSP leader Ehsaan over property. Ehsaan was also a historysheeter and half a dozen cases were pending against him. He used to purchase disputed land at throwaway prices and sell them at high prices, thereby, making a huge profit. He was in real estate business both in Delhi and Bijnor’s Najibabad. Earlier, Shahnawaz was one of his close aides in the business. But later on, Shahnawaz started to compete with Ehsaan. And this led to confrontation between the two.

Sources said Shahnawaz wanted to create his own empire in Bijnor district but was not as strong as Ehsaan. Ehsaan had political ties and his own gang. Ehsaan was a hard nut to crack for Shahnawaz. Hence, it is learnt, Shahnawaz wanted to become cozy with Mukhtar Ansari to make his own position stronger and create his own gang in the region. So, the police are now probing the link between Shahnawaz and the mafia don, sources added.