E-Paper
Atiq tortured opponents at his now-demolished office, say locals
As per allegations, Atiq would kidnap his opponents, bring them to the Chakia-based office, and get his men to thrash them.
Spread in a 1,000-square yard area, the plush office of Atiq Ahmed in Prayagraj, which was recently bulldozed by the Public Works Department (PWD), would often be used by the former MP as a ‘torture cell’ to silence his opponents, say area locals and torment survivors.
As per allegations, Atiq would kidnap his opponents, bring them to the Chakia-based office, and get his men to thrash them. Lawyer Umesh Pal, the prime witness to the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, was also brought to the office forcibly. His abduction took place in 2006. Subsequently, Umesh got a kidnapping case filed against Atiq. In his complaint, Umesh said that he was subjected to torture for two consecutive days. Umesh further alleged that he was even given electric shocks. The tactic was used to make him change his statement in Raju Pal’s murder case at the court.
Also Read| ‘I will be killed in…’: Atiq Ahmed's brother allegedly threatened by 'officer'
Besides Umesh, traders and real estate businessmen were also forcibly brought to the office. Many of them were asked to pay extortion money to the mafioso-turned-politician. Police investigation has also revealed that those who refused to submit to his demands were taken hostage and tortured at one of the rooms in the office.
Interestingly, this ‘office-cum-torture cell’ was razed by the district administration in 2008 as well. The then-chief minister Mayawati got the office demolished to crackdown on Atiq’s empire. However, it was built again after the Samajwadi Party came to power in the state in 2012. Locals say that the office used to remain abuzz with his henchmen and associates round the clock. During elections, it was used as a war room by Atiq, they added.
Later, when the BJP was voted to power, the Yogi Adityanath-led government got the outer portion of his office demolished. Despite this, Atiq’s henchmen continued to operate from the inner rooms of the office that hadn’t suffered much damage. Recently, on March 21, police were left shocked when ten illegal firearms and cash worth ₹73 lakh were recovered in one of the office rooms.
Police officials say that many people who were tortured never made a police complaint out of fear. Apart from being used as a space to subjugate people, the office was also used for meetings. Atiq would also entertain his special guests at the office. The former MP’s henchmen, who were arrested on March 21, said that cattle were also kept in one part of the office for some time.
