New Delhi: Gangster Sanjeev Jeeva was on Wednesday, June 7, shot dead in an Uttar Pradesh court by an assailant who was dressed as a lawyer. Jeeva, whose real name is Maheshwari, was brought to court to be presented before a judge in a criminal case.
Jeeva was killed outside the Lucknow Civil Court. Two police officials and a civilian were also injured in the incident, according to reports. The assailant was arrested.
VIDEO | “We won’t be able to say anything as of now. The assailant has been arrested,” says Joint Commissioner of Police Upendra Agrawal on gangster Sanjeev Jeeva’s killing on Lucknow court premises. pic.twitter.com/k4nPYViCUA
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 7, 2023
According to the Indian Express, UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said he was not aware of the shooting incident “but if anyone was found to be involved in murder, they will not be spared and strict action will be taken against them”.
Jeeva’s killing comes nearly two months after imprisoned gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot as they were speaking to the media in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The duo was in police custody and they were taken to a hospital for a medical examination when gunmen who “posed as journalists” shot them from close range.
Jeeva was convicted for the murder of BJP MLA Brahm Dutt Dwivedi in 1997. Maheshwari was also accused in the murder of another BJP MLA, Krishnanand Rai, in 2005. Jeeva, Mukhtar Ansari and a few others were acquitted in the second case. Several other criminal cases are registered against Jeeva, including murder and weapons seizure.
A week after Ahmed’s killing, Jeeva was among 61 “criminals” and “mafia dons” that the Uttar Pradesh police had prepared to target, according to reports.