The government has taken control of property worth about Rs 50 crore that was owned by the late gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed. This property was allegedly purchased using money earned from criminal activities.
Atiq Ahmed had bought 2.377 hectares of land in the name of a mason named Hoobalal. District Government Advocate (Criminal) Gulab Chandra Agrahari revealed that Atiq used the proceeds from his criminal activities to buy this land. When Atiq registered the land in Hoobalal’s name, he indicated that he could change the registration to his name if needed.
The Police Commissioner Court attached this property under Section 14 (1) of the Gangsters Act. They provided three months for any parties to come forward with evidence of legitimate ownership. However, no one presented any proof of ownership within this timeframe.
After three months passed without any evidence being presented, the Police Commissioner Court forwarded the case to the Gangster Court in Prayagraj. On Tuesday, Judge Vinod Kumar Chaurasia declared the police commissioner’s actions to be “fair and just” and ordered the property to be vested in the government.
During the investigation of the case against Atiq under the Gangsters Act, police discovered that the land was registered under Hoobalal’s name in the Airport police station area. Hoobalal confessed that Atiq had forced him to register the land in his name in 2015 through threats. The police had attached this land in November 2023.
Both Atiq and Ashraf were shot dead while in police custody on April 15 of the previous year.
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