Prayagraj: After the killings of lawyer Umesh Pal and two police guards on 24 February, the police and STF have started searching for the weapons of slain mafia Atiq Ahmed and his gang. During investigation, it emerged that Atiq and his brother Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf had arranged for several foreign automatic pistols while hatching the conspiracy to murder Umesh Pal. Despite the recovery of a large number of state-of-the-art weapons of the Atiq gang, a special weapon, a US-made Beretta pistol worth Rs 40 lakh, has not yet been received by the police.
Beretta pistol likely to be with Atiq or Ashraf’s wife
Police believe that the Beretta pistol could be with Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen or Ashraf’s wife Zainab, both of whom are absconding. Significantly, Atiq Ahmed had also informed the police regarding the Beretta pistol during interrogation during the custody remand. Atiq had claimed that the cost of the pistol was around Rs 40 lakh. During a raid on Atiq’s office on 21 March, the police found ₹74 lakh in cash along with 10 firearms, including a Colt pistol used in the murder of advocate Umesh Pal and his two police guards. However, the Beretta pistol was not found in Atiq’s office at Chakia in Prayagraj.
Police has recovered two pistols
On April 15, the Dhumanganj police recovered two more pistols from a vacant building on the confession of Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf. Police teams dug several places near the abandoned building, but failed to find the sophisticated Beretta pistol. Police suspect that the Beretta is in the possession of Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen or Ashraf’s wife Zainab. Police officials said that the design and size of the Beretta pistol was such that women could easily hide it in their purses. After the pistol is recovered, it will be sent to FSL Lucknow for investigation to establish its connection with the murder of Umesh Pal. If its relation to the case is established, it will be presented in the court as scientific evidence.
Preparation to attach property worth Rs 12.43 crore
As part of its crackdown on Atiq Ahmed’s illegal empire, the Prayagraj police is all set to attach properties worth Rs 12.43 crore of the slain gangster in Kathula Gauspur village of Sadar tehsil under the Gangster Act. A report has been sent to the Commissioner of Police for the purpose of attachment under section 14(1) of Cr. Investigation has revealed that Atiq had allegedly bought the property spread over 23,447 square meters from 14 people at a throwaway price on August 14, 2015 and got them registered in the name of a mason. This mason had recently informed the police in writing that he had nothing. What to do with the property and it belonged to the slain gangster. A senior police officer said that during the investigation of a case registered against Atiq under the Gangster Act in 2015, the police got several inputs. The police claim that Atiq had accumulated these properties through illegal means and at that time it was worth around Rs 5 crore. Now, these lands have been identified by the Revenue Department, which has pegged its value at around Rs 12.43 crore.