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Now, Atiq’s guarantors under police scanner
To unearth the nexus of Atiq’s gang, police on the lookout those who helped him and his gang members secure bail
In a bid to break the nexus of slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed’s gang, the police are now identifying those who were helping him and his gang members secure bail and acted as guarantors while providing sureties for them.
Police officials suspect that there was a strong network of such persons who were helping Atiq in legal and criminal cases in lieu of cash and other favours.
Police are trying to unearth and break the network of Atiq’s gang which includes financers, henchmen, firearm suppliers, informers and guarantors who used to take sureties for securing bail of Atiq, Ashraf their kin and associates.
Atiq had over 100 criminal cases while Ashraf had 50 cases lodged against him at different police stations.
However, the duo had received bail in the majority of cases while they were alive. Atiq was convicted in only Umesh Pal abduction case with his lawyer Khan Saulat and another person.
Moreover, other members of Atiq’s gang also used to get bail in their criminal cases.
While questioning Atiq’s lawyer Khan Saulat during custody remand, police have received vital clues about persons who were acting as guarantors of Atiq and others.
Police teams are now carrying out verification of guarantors and collecting details about their profession, sources of income and keeping an eye on their activities. Special attention is being given to those who acted as guarantors of Atiq, Ashraf and their kin. It is also being checked if such people themselves have criminal cases registered against them.
Police officials said Atiq, Ashraf, their kin and close associates have received bails in many cases registered against them at Dhumanganj, Kareli, Khuldabad, Puramufti, Civil Lines, Cantonment etc. The relation of guarantors with Atiq and others is under scanner, they added.
