Lived & died in brother Atiq’s shadow, Ashraf led a life of crime
Ashraf was involved in serious offences like murder, issuing threats, extortion, attempt to murder, abduction, conspiracy, Arms Act, and land grabbing, among others.
PRAYAGRAJ Often overshadowed by his elder brother Atiq Ahmed but equally feared by people in the Prayagraj region at the peak of his power, Khalid Azeem (aka Ashraf) had 54 criminal cases lodged against him under different sections of IPC. He was involved in serious offences like murder, issuing threats, extortion, attempt to murder, abduction, conspiracy, Arms Act, and land grabbing, among others.
Shot dead on live TV along with his brother, Ashraf was registered as an active member of Atiq’s IS-227 gang. Aged around 50 years, Ashraf was seen as his elder brother’s right hand in police records. Ashraf used to carry a pistol, whose license was cancelled by the administration some years ago. Married to Zainab Ruby, Ashraf has four minor kids -- including three daughters and a son.
According to police, the first case against Ashraf was registered at Muthiganj police station in 1992 when he abducted and assaulted a youth after a scuffle. Ashraf was pursuing graduation at Ewing Christian College at the time.
Later, Ashraf was elected as the MLA after the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal. Ashraf, his elder brother Atiq, and their henchmen were accused in the Raju Pal murder case. Ashraf remained an MLA for 15 months. Police officials said that Ashraf’s name surfaced in the abduction and gangrape of two minor girl students of a Madarsa in the Kareli area in January 2007. However, Atiq saved his brother and some rickshaw pullers were framed in the case, police said.
In January 2005, Ashraf was officially recognised as the prime accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal. It was alleged that Ashraf and his henchmen chased and gunned down the then BSP MLA Raju Pal and two others in broad daylight in the Sulem Sarai area of Prayagraj. An FIR was lodged against Atiq, Ashraf, and others at Dhumanganj police station in this connection. Soon, reports of Mahendra Patel, a witness in the case, being abducted and tortured surfaced. Patel was coerced to give a statement in favour of the accused.
{{/usCountry}}In January 2005, Ashraf was officially recognised as the prime accused in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal. It was alleged that Ashraf and his henchmen chased and gunned down the then BSP MLA Raju Pal and two others in broad daylight in the Sulem Sarai area of Prayagraj. An FIR was lodged against Atiq, Ashraf, and others at Dhumanganj police station in this connection. Soon, reports of Mahendra Patel, a witness in the case, being abducted and tortured surfaced. Patel was coerced to give a statement in favour of the accused.
{{/usCountry}}Lawyer Umesh Pal, another witness in the same case, was also abducted and tortured to prevent him from testifying against Atiq and Ashraf in court in 2006. Recently, on March 28, 2023, the MP/MLA court had awarded life sentence to Atiq and two others while letting off Ashraf and other accused for kidnapping and torturing Umesh Pal.
{{/usCountry}}Lawyer Umesh Pal, another witness in the same case, was also abducted and tortured to prevent him from testifying against Atiq and Ashraf in court in 2006. Recently, on March 28, 2023, the MP/MLA court had awarded life sentence to Atiq and two others while letting off Ashraf and other accused for kidnapping and torturing Umesh Pal.
{{/usCountry}}In 2015, Ashraf was made accused in a double murder conspiracy. Later, in 2016, Ashraf and his aides allegedly murdered a youth in Jhalwa area of Prayagraj over a property dispute, officials added. After the arrest of Atiq in the case of assault on employees of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) in 2017, Ashraf went into hiding. A reward of ₹1 lakh was declared on his arrest but he could not be traced.
In 2021, Ashraf was arrested from the house of his in-laws in Sallahpur village in Prayagraj. He remained in jail till three assailants shot him and his brother from close range on April 15, 2023.
