Belong to the family of leaders like ex-vp: Mukhtar Ansari to SC

NEW DELHI: Gangster-turnedpolitician Mukhtar Ansari has, in the Supreme Court, accused the Uttar Pradesh government of conspiring to kill him in a “statesponsored encounter”, while emphasising that he was part of a family that contributed immensely to India’s freedom struggle and gave leaders such as former vice-president Hamid Ansari. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA from Mau in the UP assembly also opposed the Yogi Adityanath government’s plea in the top court to shift him back to the state for trial in 14 criminal cases from a jail in Punjab, where he is presently lodged in connection with an extortion case.

“There is a grave threat and impending danger to the life of the respondent in the state of UP under the present political regime. The present petition is merely to seek a death warrant on the life of the respondent (Ansari),” Ansari’s affidavit read.

Invoking his pedigree, Ansari said that he was a “part of a family that has made immense contribution to the Indian freedom movement and has given India many leaders in the form of Shri Muhammad Hamid Ansari who was the vice president of India, Shri Shaukatullah Ansari who served as the governor of Odisha, Justice Asif Ansari who was the judge of the Allahabad high court, and his own father Subhanullah Ansari who was a freedom fighter and social worker.”

Contending that a free and fair trial was not possible in UP where various BJP leaders have issued open threats to his life in complicity with the state government, Ansari said that his “personal custody is being sought only with the intent of killing him” since trials could go on through video-conferencing as well.

“The respondent ought not be brought physically to the state of UP as it will amount to being a death warrant for him,” the affidavit read. “The petitioner’s (UP’S) insistence on personal appearance of the respondent in the state of UP itself gives credence to the fact that his life is in grave danger and he will be killed if he is physically produced there,” he said, naming BJP MLAS Brijesh Singh and his nephew Sushil Singh from UP as the ones who had been reportedly trying to eliminate him. The court fixed the matter for a detailed hearing on February 24 and asked the UP government to submit its replies to the affidavit.

NEW DELHI: India’s domestic air passenger traffic grew 3.5% sequentially in January indicating a recovery is underway from the turmoil caused by strict curbs on travel last year.

About 7.6 million passengers travelled on domestic routes last month, credit rating agency Icra said in a statement on Monday.

Airlines in the country are starting to gain from the lifting of restrictions and easing of cap on seat capacity on scheduled flights. Airlines deployed about 71% capacity in January, rising from 67% and 59% capacity deployed in December and November, respectively, Icra said. The Centre paused domestic flight operations from March last year as part of efforts to contain the pandemic. Carriers were allowed to resume flight operations from 25 May but at a reduced capacity, which was initially pegged at 33% of pre-covid capacity, and raised to 45% from June, 60% from September, 70% from November, and 80% from December.

“The number of flights departing has also gradually increased from 416 on Day 1 (of the lockdown) to 2,294 on Day 240 (18 January). For January 2021, the average daily departures were about 2,190, significantly lower than the average daily departures of 3,080 in January 2020, though better than about 2,048 in December 2020,” said Kinjal Shah, vice president at Icra.

Meanwhile, the Centre has extended the ban on international commercial flights till 28 February. However, dedicated cargo flights and those specifically allowed by the civil aviation regulator such as flights under the bilateral air bubble pacts with select countries will continue to operate.

A stoppagetime goal by Ishan Pandita helped FC Goa pull off a thrilling 3-3 draw against Mumbai City FC in ISL on Monday. Hugo Boumous (20) Adam Le Fondre (26) and Rowllin Borges (90) scored for Mumbai, while Glan Martins (45) Igor Angulo (51) and Pandita (90+6) scored for Goa.