Mukhtar Ansari tests positive for COVID-19 in Banda jail

Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who was recently shifted from a Punjab Jail to a highly-secured isolation barrack in the District Jail in Uttar Pradesh's Banda, has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA from Mau, Ansari along with other inmates were tested for the viral infection by jail authorities on Saturday after which Ansari's rapid antigen test report came positive.

Following this, Ansari's RTPCR test sample was collected which also came back positive.

According to jail authorities, The BSP MLA is not showing any symptoms of the coronavirus infection and has been kept in isolation inside the jail.

UP Police on April 7 brought Ansari to Banda prison. He had spent over two years in Punjab prison.

According to the Police, around 52 cases are registered against Ansari in Uttar Pradesh and other states

Earlier in February, the UP government accused the Punjab government in the Supreme Court, alleging that the latter (Punjab) was colluding with Ansari who is wanted in UP in relation to various criminal cases.

( With inputs from ANI )