A team of the Uttar Pradesh Police left for Punjab on Monday to take custody of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Mukhtar Ansari, ANI reported. The Punjab government had asked Uttar Pradesh to take the gangster-turned-politician’s custody before April 8, PTI reported.

Last month, the Supreme Court had ordered Ansari’s transfer from Ropar Jail in Punjab to Uttar Pradesh’s Banda Jail. Ansari has several criminal cases pending against him.

Allahabad Zone Additional Director General of Police Prem Prakash had told the Hindustan Times that an ambulance would also accompany the police team. The Punjab government had asked Uttar Pradesh to make appropriate arrangements for Ansari’s transfer, keeping his medical conditions in mind.

Security arrangements were strengthened at Banda jail in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Ansari’ transfer, News18 reported. The strength of the medical staff was also increased.

Also read: SC orders Punjab to transfer MLA Mukhtar Ansari to UP jail in two weeks

Meanwhile, the UP Police set up a Special Investigation Team to look into the fake documents of an ambulance that took Ansari from Rupnagar jail to a court in Mohali last week, according to the Hindustan Times. The ambulance had been found abandoned on the Chandigarh-Nangal highway, PTI reported on Sunday, citing the police.

Ansari, a five-time MLA from Uttar Pradesh’s Mau district, has been in the Ropar jail for over two years. He was sent to custody in Punjab in connection with an extortion case.

Ansari is also an accused in the murder of former Uttar Pradesh MLA Krishna Nand Rai in 2005. He has avoided 26 warrants issued by a court in Prayagraj, citing medical reasons, the news channel reported, citing the UP government’s affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.