SC takes serious note of Atiq’s act

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took serious note of the alleged kidnapping and assault of a realtor at the instance of former MP Atiq Ahmed in Deoria jail recently, when the gangster-turned-politician was lodged there, and sought a report within a week from the state government on the incident.

Ahmed was shifted to Bareilly jail following the incident.

Ahmed is accused of getting the realtor kidnapped, taken to Deoria jail and then assaulting and forcing him to transfer his businesses in his aide’s name.

The case involving Ahmed was brought to the court’s notice while it was hearing a PIL by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, who sought a life ban on politicians convicted in criminal cases, besides the setting up of special courts to expeditiously try cases involving elected representatives.The state administration recently conducted a raid at Deoria jail after real estate dealer Mohit Jaiswal filed an FIR, alleging that he was kidnapped and taken to the prison where he was assaulted and forced to transfer five of his firms in the name of Ahmed’s aide.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who is assisting the bench in the matter, and advocate Sneha Kalita, informed the court about the incident. Ahmed, they said, had over 20 heinous cases against him and he still had the audacity to kidnap the businessman while being in jail.

The combined assets of the firms that were transferred were worth Rs 45 crore, claimed Jaiswal. Ahmed even took away his car and other belongings before letting him go.

On Monday, a Prayagrajbased realtor Mohd Zaid Khalid also lodged a complaint alleging that he, along with two of his associates, was abducted and taken to Deoria jail where Ahmed assaulted and pressured him to transfer his land in the name of his (Ahmed’s) aide.

AHMED, THEY SAID, HAD OVER 20 HEINOUS CASES AGAINST HIM AND HE STILL HAD THE AUDACITY TO KIDNAP THE BUSINESSMAN WHILE BEING IN JAIL.