Realtor accuses Atiq Ahmad’s aides of abduction, torture

A Lucknow-based realtor was allegedly held hostage and tortured inside Deoria jail for several hours by the aides of imprisoned criminal-politician Atiq Ahmad. They forced the realtor to transfer five of his firms in their names, said police, adding that the combined assets were worth ?45 crore. The criminals also took away the victim’s Fortuner car and other belongings before letting him off.

Lodging an FIR at Krishnanagar police station in the wee hours of Saturday, the realtor, Mohit Jaiswal, told police that former Member of Parliament Atiq Ahmad, who is lodged in Deoria jail, and his son Umar Ahmad were present when he was tortured.

Police said the incident took place on Wednesday but Jaiswal lodged the FIR after returning to Lucknow on Saturday. Atiq, Umar, two more named accused -- Zaki Ahmad and Zafarullah -and a few unidentified others have been named in the FIR.

Inspector, Krishnanagar police station, Yash Kant Singh, said, “A case of extortion, loot and torture has been lodged on the realtor’s complaint. Two persons identified as Sultanpur resident Gulam Moinudeen and Irfan of Pratapgarh have been arrested. Further investigation is on.”

Police said the arrested men were associated with the former MP. The cops also recovered Jaiswal’s car from Gomti Nagar area.

Yash Kant Singh said Jaiswal lived in Vishweshwar Nagar, Alambagh, and his firm’s office was in Virat Khand, Gomti Nagar. “Jaiswal alleged that the former MP had extorted several lakh rupees from him around two years ago and was demanding more since the last four months. He told us that Ahmad’s two aides -- Farrukh and Zaki Ahmad -visited his office two months ago and forcibly got their names included as co-owners in his firm. They also took digital signatures of Jaiswal and his sister Aarti, who are directors in the firm,” said the inspector. He said Jaiswal alleged that Farrukh and Zaki Ahmad along with their aides again visited his office on Wednesday and forcibly took him away in his Fortuner car.

“They took Jaiswal to Deoria jail where Atiq Ahmad is imprisoned. Ahmad, his son and other people were already present in his barrack where they allegedly tortured Jaiswal, breaking two fingers of his right hand, and forcing him to transfer his firms in the names of Farrukh and Zaki Ahmad,” Singh said.

Jaiswal told cops that the criminals also made him forge his sister’s signature. She is one of the directors in the five firms that were forcibly transferred in the name of the accused. HT tried contacting Umar Ahmad but his phone was switched off. Others of his family also could not be contacted.

First Published: Dec 31, 2018 16:04 IST