E-Paper
Action Against Atiq: Police to now attach land where PDA demolished properties
The police have already attached land belonging to Atiq and associates, under the Gangsters’ Act, worth ₹270 crore.
The Prayagraj police will now attach the land on which Mafiosi-turned-politician and former MP Atiq Ahmad and his associates’ constructions were demolished by Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) in the last few years. Police have already sought approval from the DM to attach some of these lands already.
The estimated worth of the land to be attached by police under the Gangsters Act is around ₹100 crore. Till now the PDA has demolished constructions worth over ₹750 crore while the police have attached land belonging to Atiq and associates, under the Gangsters’ Act, worth ₹270 crore.
Police officials said that they will start the drive by attaching the land on which the ancestral house of Atiq had been built. Police have sought the approval of the DM for the attachment proceedings and further action will be taken after receiving the approval.
The Prayagraj Development Authority has demolished 58 constructions belonging to Atiq, his relatives and associates in the last two years. The demolished buildings included the ancestral house of Atiq in Chakia locality. Besides, PDA officials also razed an illegal commercial building on Nawab Yusuf Road, another commercial building near High Court Hanuman Mandir, MAK Tower, cold storage at Andawa, Atiq’s office at Karbala along with demolition of the house of his brother, Ashraf’s in-laws, at Sallahpur.
SSP Prayagraj, Shailesh Kumar Pandey, said a list of lands on which constructions were demolished has been prepared by the PDA officials which were still to be attached. The mafia have illegally earned these properties. Many such properties are government lands which had been illegally grabbed. All such properties will be attached under the Gangsters Act, the SSP said.
Moreover, action will also be taken on Atiq’s projects Alina City and Ahmad City. In August 2018, the PDA demolished constructions at Alina and Ahmad City along with some other illegal colonies including Sai Vihar Colony, Kashyap City, Saidpur Awas Yojana, Asad City, Lakhanpur Awas Yojana and some other unnamed projects. An FIR was also lodged against illegal projects at Dhumanganj police station and action was taken for not following norms and rules while doing construction. However, action will now be taken against all such properties under the Gangsters’ Act.
