E-Paper
Police to attach Career Group owners’ properties worth ₹254 crore
LUCKNOW Properties worth ₹254 crore of the owners of Career Group of institutes will be attached under the provisions of UP Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, the Lucknow police said on Monday
LUCKNOW Properties worth ₹254 crore of the owners of Career Group of institutes will be attached under the provisions of UP Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, the Lucknow police said on Monday.
Azmat Ali and his son Iqbal, who own these properties, were wanted in cases of attempt to murder, fraud and criminal trespass on government land. The properties to be attached include medical and dental colleges, hostels, a convent college, vacant plots, savings in bank accounts and high-end vehicles, said officials.
In terms of value, this would be one of the biggest attachments of property in a single case by the UP Police. The value was said to be higher than the attached properties of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, said cops.
The medical and dental colleges attached would be handed over to the health department for operation while the education department would take over the functioning of other educational institutes, they said.
“The accused Azmat Ali and his son Iqbal are wanted in various cases lodged in Lucknow. They built educational institutes and other structures from the money earned through criminal activities. As per the directions of the state government, we have attached their property worth ₹2.5 billion to disband the financial backing of their criminal network,” said DK Thakur, commissioner of police, Lucknow.
As per a press statement issued by the police, Azmat Ali was the head of an organised crime gang involved in various anti-social activities, including encroachment of government land. Criminal cases under various sections of the IPC had been lodged against Ali since 2000. A case under sections of the UP Gangster and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 was lodged against Azmat Ali earlier this year at Madiaon police station. Iqbal Ali was also booked on similar charges last year at the same police station.
The recent action was part of the investigations in the cases against the father- son duo who were absconding.
According to the press statement, the duo built the colleges and other properties to put up a clean façade over there criminal empire. The institutes and trusts were also used by the accused to channelise the money earned from illegal sources, reads the press statement.
Neither Azmat Ali nor his son Iqbal could be reached for a comment on the police action.
Reporter: Chandan Kumar
7088775544
BOX
Properties worth ₹1,574
cr attached in 4 yrs
In the last four years, properties of gangsters worth ₹1574 cr had been attached in Uttar Pradesh till July 19, 2021.
In this period, the maximum property attachments (worth ₹202 cr) were done in Varanasi zone in 420 cases.
The Lucknow police on Monday attached properties worth 254 crore in a single case, making it the biggest attachment in terms of value.
Over 13,700 cases under Gangster Act have been lodged under the present government and over 43,000 accused arrested in connection with these cases, as per information provided by the office of additional chief secretary, home, Avnish Kumar Awasthi.
