ATIQ’S PROPERTIES OUTSIDE PRAYAGRAJ ON POLICE RADAR

PRAYAGRAJ: After attaching properties of mafiosi-turned-politician and ex-MP Atiq Ahmad’s properties worth several crores of rupees in Prayagraj, police have now decided to search for his properties in other cities too.

While many of his properties in Prayagraj have been attached by the police, his ancestral house and other buildings have been demolished by the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA).

Now, police have decided to verify if Atiq invested in properties outside Prayagraj, an official said. A police official said they are verifying information about Atiq’s properties in Gujarat, Goa, Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh as well as in Lucknow and Noida.

Police said they are building on information received by many aides of Atiq who were quizzed by the police.

“An aide of Atiq revealed that after Atiq was shifted to Ahmedabad Jail, a flat was purchased there for his aides and relatives who used to visit him there. Then we have got information that Atiq also has a flat in Goa. He is also believed to have made investments in real estate business in Delhi, Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Lucknow and Noida with the help of his associates,” a police official said.

Atiq’s partners in the real estate business outside UP are now being identified. Besides Atiq’s relatives and associates, the local realtors in Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh may have helped Atiq in the property business, officials said. IG KP Singh said police teams are investigating properties of Atiq and are attaching them as per rules.

Besides Atiq, police are also investigating about properties of his younger brother and former MLA Ashraf. Recently some properties of Ashraf were attached along with a car found near Atiq’s office.