Sixty year old Atiq Ahmed, a five term MLA and a former Lok Sabha member, faced more than one hundred cases, including those of murder, extortion and kidnappings and enjoyed political clout until the BJP swept to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017.
Atiq, who represented the prestigious Phulpur LS seat from where former prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru used to contest, between 2004-2009 as a Samajwadi Party (SP) MP, had also represented Allahabad (now Prayagraj) West seat in he UP assembly as independent and also as Apna Dal (AD, a BJP alliance partner) member.
According to the sources Atiq entered the world of crime in 1979 when a murder case was lodged against him. He never looked back since then and soon became infamous for land grabbing and extortions.
Although he enjoyed political clout, cases piled up against him and he became a history sheeter later. His brother Ashraf also faced 57 criminal cases. Atiq was, barely a few days back, sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of killing the then BSP MLA Raju Pal in Prayagraj in 2005.
Atiq and his brother Ashraf were killed in firing near medical college in UP's Prayagraj. Visuals from the site of firing. pic.twitter.com/YCa4DKNb4R
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 15, 2023
Sources said that Atiq had amassed a huge wealth and that he and his family members owned large tracts of land in and around Prayagraj as well as flats, shops in different parts of the country. His total assets were valued at more than Rs 1000 crores.
Atiq was arrested in connection with an assault case in 2017 and was transferred to Gujarat's Sabarmati jail. Incidentally he and his brother had apprehended that they could be killed in 'fake' encounters.
Atiq's wife Shaista Parveen, who was also an accused in the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the Raju Pal murder case, had been absconding. His two minor sons were currently in a children's care home in Prayagraj.