The Supreme Court of India.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea by jailed MLA Abbas Ansari seeking permission to attend special prayers for his late father Mukhtar Ansari.
Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari died of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Banda in Uttar Pradesh on March 28.
“I have already granted the listing...yes, he is the son of Mukhtar Ansari,” Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said when lawyer Nizam Pasha, appearing for the MLA, sought listing of the plea.
Earlier, the top court had sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on the MLA's plea seeking nod to attend 'fatiha' or special prayers on April 10 following the death of his father.
On March 30, Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau Sadar constituency, was laid to rest in Ghazipur.
The 63-year-old had been behind bars in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab since 2005 and had over 60 criminal cases against him.
He died on March 28 night at Rani Durgawati Medical College after being taken there from Banda jail when his health deteriorated.