From Prominent Lineage to Crime: The Story of Jailed Politician Mukhtar Ansari

Gangster turn Jailed politician Mukhtar Ansari, whose recent death sparked controversy, entered the realm of crime at the young age of 15. Coming from a prominent family background, Ansari had influential figures in his lineage.

His paternal grandfather, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, was not only a freedom fighter but also a renowned physician. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia and served as its Chancellor. Dr. Ansari had a significant association with the Congress, serving as its president in 1927 and as a member of the Congress Working Committee for many years.

On the maternal side, Mukhtar Ansari’s grandfather, Mohammad Usman, was a brigadier in the Indian Army and known as the ‘Lion of Nowshera’. He was a recipient of the Mahavir Chakra for his bravery. Tragically, he lost his life in the Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir during a conflict with Pakistan in 1948, posthumously earning the Maha Vir Chakra, according to reports from the Hindustan Times.

Mukhtar Ansari, a five-time MLA in Uttar Pradesh, ventured into criminal activities to establish himself and his gang in the government contract mafia, which was thriving in the state at that time.