Mukhtar gang’s fin loss inches close to ₹900 cr in Varanasi zone

Varanasi: With the heat of action against the economic empire of jailed mafia don Mukhtar Ansari reaching his native place near Darjitola of Yusufpur in Ghazipur district on Sunday, the financial losses of Mukhtar, his family and gang members reached close to Rs 900 crore-mark only in the districts of Varanasi zone. The drive against Ansari and his gang was intensified during 2019-2020.
Officials of Ghazipur administration and police, on Sunday, raided ward 12/8 of Yusufpur market under the limits of Mohammadabad Nagar Palika Parishad to attach 18 Benami shops of Mukhtar constructed on the land of his cousin Mansoor Ansari. The value of the attached property, estimated to be Rs 26.18 lakh, was meagre in comparison to other attached and demolished properties of Mukhtar. The action took place a few yards away from Darjitola, which houses the parental house of Mukhtar known as Bada Darwaja.
Talking to TOI on Monday, ADG Varanasi zone Ram Kumar said, “Though parental house of Mukhtar had been checked by police in past. It was for the first time when attachment of property made with illegally earned money took place at the native place of the don in Yusufpur area.”
“Before initiating the action against Mukhtar, the losses caused to his economic empire had gone above Rs 887 crore by February end while actions like demolition of buildings of his sons in Mau and his close associate late Kamlesh Singh in Ghazipur district took place in first week of March,” he said.
Going through the record of actions initiated against Mukhtar, his family and gang members since 2019 till February 28 this year, it can be found that the gang had suffered financial losses due to demolition of buildings worth Rs 283.57 crore, attachment of properties worth Rs 303.32 crore and scanning of earnings through illegal means amounting to Rs 254.27 crore.
In 2019, the gang suffered financial losses of around Rs 14 crore due to checking of its earning through illegal activities, said officials adding that in 2020, illegally-earned properties of the gang of Rs 139.36 crore were demolished and of Rs 57.72 crore were attached under Gangster Act. In 2021 properties of Rs 31.55 crore of the gang members were demolished and of Rs 62.62 crores were attached while earning of Rs 22 crores were checked, they added.
Maximum losses were suffered by Mukhtar gang between March 2022 and February, this year as properties worth Rs 112.66 crore were demolished and of Rs 181.29 crore were attached, said officials adding that its earnings of Rs 113 crore were checked this year.
This apart, action taken by police against the fish mafia boosting Mukhtar's economic empire by operating in Mau, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Bhadohi and other districts in past three and a half years caused a loss of Rs 69.30 crore, said officials.
Kumar said a total of 168 arms of the 106-member gang were on radar and following suspension of 167 licenses, 137 of them were cancelled. A total of 165 arms had been deposited between 2019 and February 28, this year. Police booked 74 members under Goonda Act, six under NSA, opened a history sheet of 75 and cancelled their character certificates for taking part in government tenders and issued externment orders against 45. Two members of the gang were eliminated in police encounters in 2019 and 2021.