A day after the Uttar Pradesh Police, in its charge sheet, confirmed that Atiq Ahmed had connections with Pakistan’s ISI and terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, reports have emerged revealing that the gangster-turned-politician also had connections with dreaded underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company.
According to reports, intelligence agencies that got information about Atiq’s underworld connections revealed that Dawood Ibrahim’s network was used to deliver weapons to Atiq Ahmed.
Times Now also reported that a close aide of deceased gangster Chhota Shakeel was responsible for the supply of weapons. The henchman was in constant touch with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Atiq’s gang. D-Company used to deliver weapons at the behest of ISI to Atiq Ahmed.
According to reports, Atiq Ahmed came in contact with the D-Company through former Mau MLA and mafia Mukhtar Ansari who was, last year, convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail in the 1996 gangster case.
Atiq Ahmed reportedly admitted during questioning that gangster Mukhtar Ansari had assisted him in getting in touch with the D gang. Atiq and his brother Ashraf got along well with Abu Salem, a don for D Gang. After the Umesh Pal murder case, Asad, who was running from one city to another, was asked to come to Pune and then to Nashik by Abu Salem’s aides. A former MP is also alleged to have assisted in keeping Asad and the shooter Ghulam hidden in Pune, in addition to Abu Salem.
Additionally, reports have also emerged suggesting that Dawood’s aide Abu Salem’s henchmen provided shelter and money to Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad Ahmed and gunman Mohammad Ghulam, who was killed in a police encounter at Jhansi.
TOI reported that after Asad Ahmed and Mohammad Ghulam were killed in an encounter in Jhansi on Thursday the STF started preparing a list of all those who helped them in evading arrest. STF sources were quoted by TOI as saying that on the top of the list are henchmen of Abu Salem who had helped Atiq earlier.
A senior official, who has been working on the case since February 24, was quoted as saying that a list of such people is being made. “STF had made the first breakthrough when it had arrested Atiq’s brother-in-law Akhlaq and got the footage in which he is spotted making payments to the aides of the don.”
Some suspects have been zeroed in from Delhi and Mumbai. “We are also coordinating with the agencies in Rajasthan, West Bengal and with the police of bordering districts,” said an officer.
Atiq Ahmed has admitted to links with ISI, Lashkar
Notably, the Uttar Pradesh Police, in its charge sheet against Atiq Ahmed, had said that he had connections with Pakistani terrorist organisations. The UP Police also said that Atiq Ahmed had confessed to having been in regular touch with the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In his recorded statement, Atiq Ahmed is quoted by the police as saying: “…I have no dearth of weapons because I have direct connections with Pakistan’s ISI and terror org Lashkar-e-Taiba. Weapons from Pakistan are dropped on the Punjab border with the help of drones and local connection collects them. Terrorists in J&K get weapons from this consignment. If you take me with you, I can help you recover that money and arms & ammunition used in the incident.”
Meanwhile, Asad Ahmed, son of gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed, was killed in a police encounter at Jhansi on Thursday (April 13). Asad Ahmed was wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case. Along with Asad, his associate Ghulam Muhammad has also been killed in the encounter with UP Police STF. Ghulam Muhammad, son of Maksudan, was a gunman who fired shots during the Umesh Pal murder.
