PRAYAGRAJ, Dec. 12 -- The Allahabad high court has extended the interim stay on criminal proceedings against slain mafia Mukhtar Ansari's sons, Abbas Ansari and Umar Ansari, in a case linked to the alleged fake registry of land belonging to the Gazal Hotel in Ghazipur. The prosecution has claimed that the land covered in the sale deed is public property. Justice Sameer Jain, in its order dated December 8, while setting January 22, 2026, as the next hearing date, directed the state counsel to file a reply during this period. During the proceedings, the state counsel told the court that the Ghazipur trial court had, on December 8, permitted further investigation following a plea by the investigating officer. The counsel added that new material may surface and sought three weeks to complete the probe and file a detailed counter affidavit. However, counsel for the applicant, Upendra Upadhya, opposed the request of state counsel but could not dispute the fact that the application for further investigation moved by the investigating officer had been allowed by the court concerned on December 8. The alleged offence is tied to a sale deed executed on April 29, 2005, by Ravindra Nath Sharma, Nand Lal and Srikant in favour of the applicants through their guardian and mother, Afshan Ansari. The prosecution has maintained that the land mentioned in the deed is public land....