The Prayagraj administration on Thursday demolished the home of another aide of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed in connection with the killing of a prime witness in the 2005 murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal.
The authorities deployed three bulldozers to demolish a two-storey building owned by Safdar Ali, who is allegedly an arms trader linked to Ahmed, PTI reported.
While there is no legal provision to destroy the property of anyone accused of an offence, Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state governments have been increasingly dispensing “bulldozer justice” by conducting demolition drives under the guise of removing encroachments. Most of these drives are targeted at properties owned by Muslims.
Officials of the Prayagraj Development Authority on Thursday claimed Ali’s home was illegally constructed. A day ago, they had cited the same reason to destroy the home of another of Atiq Ahmed’s aide Zafar Ahmed.
Officials told PTI that an air gun seized from Zafar Ahmed’s home was brought from Ali’s house.
On February 24, Umesh Pal, a witness in the killing of Raju Pal, was shot dead as he got out of the backseat of a vehicle in Prayagraj. One of his police guards, Sandeep Nishad, also died in the attack.
The police have allege that killing was planned by Ahmed and have booked him, his wife Shaista Parveen and their sons. His younger brother Ashraf has also been named in the case.
Atiq Ahmed goes to SC
Meanwhile on Wednesday, Atiq Ahmed, who is in jail in Ahmedabad, approached the Supreme Court claiming that he may be killed in a “fake encounter” by the Uttar Pradesh Police.
A former MP and five-time MLA, he is in jail in a matter related to the assault on faculty members of an agricultural research institute in Prayagraj in 2016.
In his petition before the Supreme Court, he referred to a statement made by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath in the Assembly to “completely ruin and destroy” him. Atiq Ahmed sought directions to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to protect him in the wake of Adityanath’s declaration.
On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police had gunned down the driver of the car used by the assailants to attack Pal.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!