ED concludes raids against Atiq Ahmed, associates; documents, property papers, jewellery worth Rs 2.5 crores seized

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 14 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday concluded its fresh raids against Gangster Atiq Ahmed and his associates, and recovered a large number of documents related to bank accounts, asset papers, and gold jewellery worth Rs 2.5 crore.

The ED launched searches in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation against gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed, and his associates, according to sources.
Meanwhile, the body of Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad and his aide Ghulam will be brought to Prayagraj from Jhansi today.

Asad’s body will be received by his maternal kin and will be taken to a family graveyard at Kasari Masari in Prayagraj for burial.

Asad and Ghulam were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case and were killed in an encounter by Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in Jhansi on Thursday.

Each of them carried a reward of Rs 5 lakhs. The police said that foreign-made weapons were recovered.

Meanwhile, police deployment was seen outside Maharani Laxmibai Medical Hospital in Jhansi where the bodies of Asad and Ghulam have been kept for post-mortem.

Atiq’s lawyer is likely to present an application before the court today seeking parole for him to attend the funeral of his son in Prayagraj.

Till Thursday, no application was placed before the Magistrate.

Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday brought Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf to Dhoomanganj Police Station in Prayagraj after Prayagraj Chief Judicial Magistrate court sent them to four-day police custody.

The police custody of the duo started from 5 pm on April 13 till 5 pm on April 17.

Earlier Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were brought to the CJM Court in Prayagraj on Thursday morning.

The Uttra Pradesh Police chargesheet filed before the court mentioned a recorded statement of Atiq Ahmed.

“…I have no dearth of weapons because I have direct connections with Pakistan’s ISI and terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Weapons from Pakistan are dropped on the Punjab border with the help of drones and local connection collects them. Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir get weapons from this consignment. If you take me with you, I can help you recover that money and arms and ammunition used in the incident,” the chargesheet said citing Atiq.

Asad’s maternal grandfather and Ghulam’s wife have reached Jhansi.

Ghulam’s mother and brother have already said that would not take the dead body of Ghulam.

Tight security arrangements have been made to ensure that law and order are maintained during the funeral.

On Thursday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a high-level meeting on ‘law and order’ after the killing of Asad and Ghulam in an encounter.

CM Yogi also lauded the 12-member STF team involved in the shootout.

On March 28, Atiq Ahmed was convicted by an MP-MLA court and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment in the abduction case of now-deceased Umesh Pal.

Atiq Ahmed and his family came under the scanner in the Umesh Pal murder case.

Atiq Ahmed, who has over 100 cases against him over the last 43 years, has been convicted in the same case.

Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party leader Raju Pal and one of his two armed security escorts was shot dead in Prayagraj’s Sulem Saray area on February 24.

Several rounds were fired and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners, according to officials.