Rs 425Cr illegal properties of mafia groups seized in a year

Varanasi: The sustained action against jailed mafia don and MLA Mukhtar Ansari as well as some other gangsters in the past 12 months in the region has not only hit their economic empire and armoury, but also exposed how the liquor and cattle mafias have generated huge wealth through illegal earnings.
“The value of seized movable, immovable properties under Gangster Act and measures to put a check on the illegal earnings of the gangsters in this region has touched the mark of Rs 425 crores while the share of Mukhtar gang is Rs 286 crores. Besides other criminal elements, it has been found that the liquor mafia too also generated a huge wealth,” said ADG Varanasi zone Brij Bhushan.
After the seizure of Rs 31 lakh Audi car of Mukhtar’s wife and in-laws on Wednesday and properties of liquor mafia in Mirzapur in the past four days, TOI took stock of the action initiated against the gangsters in the past 12 months. It surfaced that among the criminals booked under Gangster Act in this period, the highest number — 961 — was of cattle smugglers while over 287 were liquor mafia involved in hooch manufacturing and liquor smuggling.
Providing details of the action taken to check organized crime, the ADG said, “In the 10 districts of Varanasi zone, around 2600 criminals were booked under Gangster Act. We also registered 166 new gangs and opened a history sheet of over 1,100 criminals. Operations were also launched to hit their economic empires and armoury apart from putting effective checks on their illegal earnings. It resulted in confiscation of movable and immovable properties of Rs 210 crores, demolition of properties of Rs 151 crores. Illegal earning to the tune of Rs 61 crores was also checked.”
“Of the over Rs 286 crores losses caused to Mukhtar gang, properties of Rs 140 crores have been demolished. Movable and immovable properties of Rs 85 crores were seized. Illegal earning through extortion and fish trades, grabbing contracts in PWD and other government departments of Rs 60 crores of Mukhtar, his family and gang members was also checked,” he added.
“Also, 122 arms licences of Mukhtar’s men were cancelled, externment orders were issued against 34, 150 booked under Gangster Act, six booked under NSA and 200 criminals and white collared persons associated with him were sent to jail. Major action against Mukhtar and his gang had been started after May 2020,” he said.
Gangster Dhruv Singh Kuntu, who is lodged in jail as an accused of killing of Samajwadi Party’s ex-MLA Sarvesh Singh Sipu in July 2015, is other major loser after Mukhtar as his properties of around Rs 18 crores were seized or demolished while illegal earning of Rs 60 lakhs was also checked. The name of muscleman jailed MLA Vijay Mishra and jailed don Ramesh Singh Kaka has also figured among the big losers.
“The liquor mafia active in the zone have suffered loss of over Rs 28 crores following confiscation of their properties,” said the ADG, adding, “On June 21, Mirzapur police confiscated properties of a dreaded liquor mafia Anup Malviya worth Rs 4.92 crores. On June 22, the property of Rs 49 lakhs of Malviya’s accomplices, including Kamlesh Maurya and Sanjay Maurya were also seized.
Properties of Rs 8.40 crores of cattle mafia had also been seized in the same period, he added.