VIBHUTI KHAND SHOOTOUT: NBW AGAINST FORMER MP DHANANJAY SINGH

LUCKNOW : Former MP Dhananjay Singh has been made the co-accused as the key conspirator by the Lucknow police in the Vibhuti Khand shootout case of January 6 in which Ajit Singh, an alleged henchman of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was killed and his accomplice Mohar Singh injured, said senior police officials here on Saturday. Police said the court issued an NBW against the former MP in this connection on Saturday.

LUCKNOW : Former MP Dhananjay Singh has been made the co-accused as the key conspirator by the Lucknow police in the Vibhuti Khand shootout case of January 6 in which Ajit Singh, an alleged henchman of gangsterturned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, was killed and his accomplice Mohar Singh injured, said senior police officials here on Saturday. They said the former MP was involved in providing patronage to the shooters in the case.

Lucknow commissioner of police (CP) Dhruv Kant Thakur confirmed that the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Lucknow, issued a non-bailable warrant against the former MP in this connection on Saturday. He said the former MP had been made a co-accused in the Vibhuti Khand shootout case under Indian Penal Code Sections 302 for murder, 307 for attempt to murder, 120-B for criminal conspiracy, 201 for concealment of evidences and 212 for harbouring offender.

The step was taken after investigators found substantial evidence of his involvement in the case and a team had been formed to arrest the former MP, he said.

Another senior police official privy to the investigation said the former MP was made a co-accused on the basis of the statements of the Sultanpur doctor, in whose hospital an injured shooter was treated for two days after retaliatory firing by Mohar Singh during the shootout.

Ajit Singh was killed when four assailants opened indiscriminate fire on him near Kathauta crossing in Vibhuti Khand area of Lucknow.

His accomplice Mohar Singh had suffered gunshot injuries on his leg. One of the four assailants was injured when Mohar Singh returned fire.

“Other than the doctor’s statement, the police had recovered the mobile phone of the former MP’s aide Vipul Kumar Singh. The WhatsApp chat retrieved from his mobile (phone) shows that Vipul Kumar Singh carried along the shooter to the Sultanpur hospital after the former MP arranged things there by taking the doctor into his confidence,” he said.

“Why should anybody arrange treatment for the shooter involved in the killing of Ajit Singh?” he questioned.

Thirty-nine criminal cases were registered against Dhananjay Singh between 1991 and 2021. At present, eight criminal cases, including the Vibhuti Khand shootout case, are pending against him.

In the remaining cases, he has been either acquitted, final report has been filed or the state government has dropped the charges against him.