Lucknow, Jun 30 (IANS): The driver and aide of mafia don and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Mukhtar Ansari, has been arrested by a team of Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) in Lucknow.

The driver Salim is an accused in a fake ambulance registration case.

He was arrested from Jankipuram area of Lucknow, late on Tuesday.

A reward of Rs 20,000 had been announced on his head by the Barabanki police.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), STF, Vishal Vikram Singh said that Salim was arrested on the basis of an informer's tipoff.

"After his arrest, Salim confessed to having been driving vehicles of Ansari since 2000," said the officer.

Barabanki police in its probe against an ambulance, used by don Mukhtar during his stay in Punjab's Ropar jail, was found to be registered with a Barabanki number.

On April 2, an FIR was lodged against Ansari, and others for forgery, criminal conspiracy, intimidation and furnishing false information to a public servant in connection with documentation related to the ambulance.

The ASP STF also said that during the probe, names of Salim, Surendra Sharma and Afroz Alam, had surfaced.

So far, Barabanki police have booked Mukhtar Ansari, Alka Rai, Dr Shesh Nath Rai, Rajnath Yadav, Suheb Mujahid, Anand Yadav, Shahid, Salim, Surendra Sharma and Afroz Alam in the case.

Barring Suheb, Shahid, Surendra and Afroz, all other accused are behind the bars.