VARANASI: Kasimabad police in Ghazipur district on Monday arrested Reyaz Ahmed Ansari, a close aide of the late mafia don Mukhtar Ansari and chairman of Bahadurganj Nagar Panchayat, under the Gangster Act.Kasimabad police station in-charge, Nand Kumar Tiwari, said Reyaz was an active member of Mukhtar's IS-191 gang, leader of the D-131 gang, and among the top 10 criminals wanted by Kasimabad police. He was wanted in a case registered under the Uttar Pradesh Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986.A total of 13 cases are registered against Reyaz. Police said he was involved in serious crimes, including extorting money for personal and gang members' economic and material gain. He also created forged documents to fraudulently seize people's property.Reyaz, the sitting Bahadurganj Nagar Panchayat chairman, and his wife, Nikahat Parveen, former chairperson of the same local body, were initially arrested in October 2023 and sent to jail in a case involving the illegal appointment of Nikahat as an assistant teacher at a minority institution using a fake marksheet. She was appointed in 2005 and continued to withdraw the salary of an assistant teacher since then.Mukhtar, who died on 28 March 2024, had ensured the victory of this couple in the local body chairman elections. In April 2024, Ghazipur police attached immovable properties worth Rs 6.70 crore belonging to Reyaz, his wife Nikahat Parveen, brother-in-law Kalam Ahmad, and son-in-law Ehtesham.