Why Were They Paraded to Hospital? SC Asks UP Govt on Atiq Ahmed Murder

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Friday raised questions over on camera double murder of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother in police custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. The apex court demanded a report from the UP government regarding the incident.

Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were gunned down by three assailants on April 15 while they were being escorted by the police to a hospital medical checkup.

Supreme Court also asked for a report on the police encounter of Ahmad’s son Asad in Jhansi on April 13.

“Why were Atiq Ahmed and his brother not taken in an ambulance to the hospital? Why were they made to walk and paraded,” the apex court asked.

Calling for a report on the killings in three weeks, the court said, “A comprehensive affidavit would be filed indicating the steps taken to inquire into the deaths which occurred on April 15 near Moti Lal Nehru Divisional Hospital, Prayagraj. The affidavit shall also disclose the steps taken with respect to the incident that occurred immediately prior to the one in question and also disclose the follow-up steps taken following Justice BS Chauhan commission report.”

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Chauhan headed a commission to probe the encounter of gangster Vikas Dubey in 2020.

The case before the Supreme Court, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, has alleged that the killings of Ahmad and his family members were part of a pattern of eliminating criminals through extrajudicial means.

Mr Tiwari has sought an inquiry into the 183 encounters that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh since 2017 when the current government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath came to power.