FIR against Atiq Ahmed’s kin for demanding extortion

The case has been registered on the complaint of a farmer in the Kaushambi district and action will soon be taken against the accused.

The Puramufti police on Sunday registered an FIR against block pramukh and cattle smuggler Mohd Muzzaffar and his kin for assault and demanding extortion from a farmer. Mohd Muzzaffar is also a relative of slain mafia-politician Atiq Ahmed. The case has been registered on the complaint of a farmer in the Kaushambi district and action will soon be taken against the accused, police said.

Atiq Ahmed (HT FILE)

A resident of the Sarai Akil area of Kaushambi district, farmer Ramjeevan in his complaint to the police said that he owned land in the Ahmadpur Pawan area in Puramufti which was grabbed by Mohd Muzzaffar and his brothers in 2009. The accused were running a brick kiln on the occupied land. Last year, his land was freed by police and administration on the intervention of the then ADG Zone Prem Prakash. However, Mohd Muzzaffar and his brothers were threatening for taking back the land.

Ramjeevan further alleged that on May 13, Mohd Muzzaffar came out on bail and again started issuing threats to him. On May 22, Ramjeevan was going on his bike with his friend Bheem and near Mandar Mod, Muzzaffar, his brothers Akram, Ashraf aka Chhote, Javed, Azam and others intercepted him. They assaulted Ramjeevan and demanded ₹1 crores extortion from him. The accused also opened fire on him, but the bullet missed.

Police officials said an FIR has been registered and efforts were on to trace the accused.

It is worth mentioning that in police records, Mohd Muzzaffar is registered as a kingpin of the inter-state gang of cattle smugglers. He has over three dozen cases registered at different police stations of the state and even outside. He was arrested in a case under the Gangster Act registered at Puramufti police station in 2021 and was released on bail. Mohd Muzaffar is also block pramukh of Kaudihar area. His property worth several crores was attached by police in a crackdown last year.