Home ministry keeps a watch on situation in UP after Atiq killing

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) is keeping an eye on law and order-related developments in Uttar Pradesh after the murders of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf by three assailants on Saturday, people familiar with the development said on Monday.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC) continue to be imposed in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh since Saturday while police are maintaining extra vigil in sensitive areas and checking vehicles in various places.

Section 144 empowers an executive magistrate to issue orders for disallowing assembly of five or more persons and apprehend people in case of nuisance or if danger is anticipated.

The officials cited above said the ministry was in touch with the state government and police officials on the law-and-order situation.

“No incidents of any unrest have been reported so far,” said an officer, who asked not to be named.

The MHA has not sought any specific report from the state government on the murders of Atiq Ahmad and his brother on Saturday, but a second officer cited above said a “regular incident report” on any crime is normally shared by every state with the ministry.

Former member of Parliament (MP) Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were killed in full view of TV camera crews around 10pm on Saturday by three assailants identified as Sunny Singh, Lavlesh Tiwari and Arun Maurya.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed 100 ‘benami’ (not registered in his name) properties of the gangster-turned-politician acquired between 2012 and 2017 by wielding muscle power, agency officials said.

The financial crimes probe agency had carried out a two-day raid on Wednesday and Thursday on Atiq Ahmad and his associates as part of a money laundering probe.

Apart from benami properties, the ED seized cash totalling ₹84.68 lakh, gold bars worth ₹60 lakh, gold and diamond jewellery worth ₹2.8 crore and various electronic devices containing crucial details.

The ED was probing the gangster and his associates under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

“The search action concluded on Thursday, during which both residential and agricultural properties directly in the name of Atiq Ahmad were seized from the residence of an advocate,” said an ED officer, who asked not to be named.

Overall, this officer said, they have “unearthed over 100 benami properties of Atiq Ahmad, which had been acquired mainly from FY2012-13 to FY2016-17.”

“These properties are situated in Prayagraj, Lucknow and other places and acquired in the names of Atiq’s associates and other persons,” he said.

The ED said it is keeping names of buyers and sellers “secret” due to security concerns.

Other than benami properties, the ED also found documents pertaining to nearly 200 bank accounts and 50 shell entities used for laundering of ill-gotten money generated out of extortion, land grabbing and other criminal activities, apart from cash transactions worth more than ₹50 crore.