E-Paper
Jailed former MP Atiq Ahmad’s clout fading with arrest of kin
So far former MP Atiq Ahmad, his younger brother and former MLA Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf and son Ali Ahmad, have been arrested. If police manages to arrest Atiq’s eldest son Umar four people of his family, including Atiq, will be in jail.
The clout of jailed former MP and mafioso-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, whose name once invoked terror in large parts of the state, is fading rapidly with two of his kin —younger brother and one son— behind the bars and police now on the lookout for his eldest son.
Besides, during the last few years the Prayagraj police have arrested over two dozen persons associated with the gangster.
So far Atiq, his younger brother and former MLA Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf and son Ali Ahmad, have been arrested. If police manages to arrest Atiq’s eldest son Umar now four people of his family, including Atiq, will be in jail.
To note, Ali Ahmad, second among five sons of Atiq, surrendered at district court on Saturday in connection with a seven-month-old case of assault on a property dealer in Kareli area.
Police had declared a reward of ₹50000 on his arrest but Ali dodged the cops and reached the district court and surrendered.
This action has come as a major blow for Atiq who was once known for his muscle power. Atiq’s terror was not just limited to several districts of the state but even outside. Atiq’s connection with other mafioso and gangsters also surfaced from time to time.
Although Atiq’s political influence faded after BSP MLA Raju Pal’s murder, he was still in the position to affect political equations on many assembly and parliamentary seats in the state.
It is worth mentioning that Atiq was arrested in 2017 in connection with the attack on SHUATS employees and since then he has being lodged in different jails in Uttar Pradesh. However, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Atiq was shifted to Ahmedabad Jail over two years back.
Ashraf was arrested in July 2020 for issuing threats, extortion, land grabbing frauds etc and is presently lodged in Bareily Jail.
In 2019, CBI lodged a case against Atiq, his son Umar and some of their henchmen in connection with abduction and assault on a Lucknow-based realtor Mohit Jaiswal. Since then Umar is on the run and is wanted by CBI. The agency has declared a reward of ₹2 lakh on Umar’s arrest.
Meanwhile, Ali was accused of assaulting a property dealer Zeeshan aka Janu at his farmhouse in Andipur area of Kareli in December 2021. Ali went absconding since then and surrendered before the court after seven months following massive pressure of police on his kin and close aides. Ali is being kept at Naini jail at present.
However, police sources claim that he may also be shifted to some another jail in the state due to security reasons. During last few years, Prayagraj police have arrested over two dozen persons associated with Atiq. They are being lodged in different jails across the state.
Besides, Prayagraj Development Authority has demolished the ancestral house of Atiq along with some other commercial buildings that were in the name of his wife and other kin. Over two dozen houses and commercial buildings of his henchmen in Kareli, Chakia, Kasarai Masari and other localities were also demolished by PDA officials as they were constructed without approval of map.
Even as three members of the family, including Atiq himself, are behind bars, Enforcement Directorate is also tightening the noose around him.
ED has registered a case of money laundering against Atiq in April last year and since then many of his close aides have been summoned for questioning. ED is scanning all movable and immovable assets along with his investments in real estate business.
