LUCKNOW: Chitrakoot police on Monday said that an amount of Rs 6 lakh was given to suspended jail superintendent Ashok Sagar for facilitating unlawful meetings between jailed SBSP MLA Abbas Ansari and his wife Nikhat Bano. Police said that the said amount was shared between the arrested jailer Santosh Kumar and jail warder Jagmohan.
Chitrakoot police had arrested the three jail officials on Sunday and were sent to Lucknow jail on Monday.
Chitrakoot superintendent of police Vrinda Shukla said that during raids at the residences of the three arrested jail officials, they recovered a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) belonging to Santosh and Rs 5.8 lakh cash.
“During probe, it surfaced that on February 7, Rs 6 lakh was handed over to suspended jail superintendent Ashok, via jail canteen operator Navneet Sachan. Navneet was given this amount by Ansari’s driver Niyaz. Of the total, Rs 4 lakh was found to be in possession of Ashok, while Rs 1.8 lakh in possession of Santosh,” said Shukla.
She also said that they have found that the monthly instalment of the MUV was paid by jailed MLA Ansari.
The officer added that all the three arrested jail officials played a major role in enabling unauthorized activities inside the district jail.
“The trio were regularly lured with money by Abbas Ansari. After receiving cash, they allowed Ansari’s wife and driver, along with phones and other belongings without any record and checks,” said the SP.
The officer added that the CCTV footage of the jail on February 10 when surprise checking was done had also revealed that Jagmohan was posted at a different spot outside the jail. “But as soon as the surprise inspection started, Jagmohan came inside at the behest of the jail superintendent and through him, Abbas Ansari was taken out of deputy jailor Chandrakala’s room and moved towards the barrack,” she said.
“During this time, Jagmohan is also seen requesting the outpost in-charge, who had gone for the raid, for cooperation,” the officer added.
Vrinda Shukla said that the CCTV footage recovered from inside the jail has also shown that Santosh and Jagmohan were seen talking to MLA Abbas Ansari throughout the day. The officer added that the role of other officers is also being probed. Police said that some jail warders are also under the scanner whose statement will be recorded soon.
So far, police have arrested eight persons, including Nikhat Bano, wife of SBSP MLA Abbas Ansari, Ansari’s driver Niyaz, SP district president Faraz, his accomplice Navneet and four jail officials.
Nikhat Bano, wife of jailed MLA Abbas Ansari and daughter-in-law of gangster Mukhtar Ansari, visited her husband inside Chitrakoot jail and was found in possession of two mobile phones and Rs 21,000 cash along with 12 Saudi Riyals. Bano along with her driver Niyaz was arrested, while Chitrakoot jail superintendent Ashok Sagar and seven other jail officials were suspended. The police later seized the SUV used by Nikhat to visit her husband inside the jail. Ansari was transferred to Kasganj jail by the government.
