'Have direct connections with Pakistan's ISI, Lashkar-e-Taiba': UP Police chargesheet mentions Atiq Ahmed's statement

PRAYAGRAJ: Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed said in a statement to Uttar Pradesh Police that he has direct connections with "Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba".

Prayagraj Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday sent Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf to four-day police custody in the Umesh Pal murder case.

The police custody of the duo started from 5 pm on 13 April till 5 pm on 17 April.

Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were brought to the CJM Court in Prayagraj on Thursday morning.

The Uttra Pradesh Police chargesheet filed before the court mentioned a recorded statement of Atiq Ahmed.

"...I have no dearth of weapons because I have direct connections with Pakistan's ISI and terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Weapons from Pakistan are dropped on the Punjab border with the help of drones and local connection collects them. Terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir get weapons from this consignment. If you take me with you, I can help you recover that money, arms and ammunition used in the incident," the chargesheet mentioned Atiq's statement.

Meanwhile, Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and his aide Ghulam, both of whom were wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were killed in an encounter by Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in Jhansi on Thursday.

Each of them carried a reward of Rs 5 lakhs. The police said that foreign-made weapons were recovered.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting on 'law and order' after the killing of Asad and Ghulam in an encounter.

CM Yogi also lauded the 12-member STF team involved in the shootout.

On March 28, Atiq Ahmed was convicted by an MP-MLA court and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment in the abduction case of now-deceased Umesh Pal.

Atiq Ahmed and his family came under the scanner in the Umesh Pal murder case.Atiq Ahmed, who has over 100 cases against him over the last 43 years, has been convicted in the same case.

Delhi Police's Special Cell arrested three people from the national capital for allegedly aiding jailed gangster Atiq Ahmed's son Asad and planning Umesh Pal's murder. The three arrested people were identified as Jawed, Khalid and Jeeshan.

During the course of the investigation, Khalid and Jeeshan disclosed that they had also provided shelter to Asad and Ghulam, who are wanted accused in the infamous Umesh Pal murder case.

Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party leader Raju Pal and one of his two armed security escorts was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area on February 24. Several rounds were fired and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners.

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