Varanasi: The Controversial Uttar Prasesh MLA Mukhtar Ansari has been released on parole from the Central Jail in Agra for a day to campaign in the Lok Sabha election.
Escorted by a large posse of security personnel Ansari, whose Quami Ekta Dal is supporting the Congress in Varanasi and who is contesting from Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency, was released after his wife Afshan furnished a bond of Rs 1.27 lakh.
Ansari, who lost to BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi by just 17,000 votes in Varanasi in 2009, was taken in an ambulance to his constituency of Ghosi accompanied by his wife and other members of the family.
Ansari, facing trial in a case under stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act for allegedly being a member of an organised crime syndicate, was granted custody parole on May 1 for 10 days by a Delhi court for campaigning in Lok Sabha polls.
Mr Ansari's wife complained that the release of her husband was delayed though she had submitted the bond amount.
The ambulance was followed by vehicles carrying the police personnel, officials said.
After campaigning ends on Saturday evening Ansari would be lodged either in a nearby jail or a police station for the night before being brought back to Agra Central Jail on Sunday.
Meanwhile, an intensive search was carried out in Ansari's cell by authorities after reports that he was carrying out his election campaign from jail on Friday.
However, after a six-hour search nothing objectionable was found, the police sources said. Ghosi seat is voting on May 12 in the last phase.
The court had allowed the plea filed by Ansari, who is also an accused in the 2005 murder case of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai, in which he said he was required to campaign for the polls.
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