House of Atiq Ahmed’s brother-in-law in Prayagraj razed by authorities

The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) demolished an under-construction house on Thursday that belonged to the slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed’s brother (late) Ashraf’s wife, Zainab Fatima, and her relatives. The PDA started the action on the grounds that the plot in question is a waqf property that was “grabbed” using “fake documents” and the accused failed to prove ownership when they were served with notice.

The PDA filed the case on November 18, 2018, at the Pura Mufti police station, following a complaint made by Mabood Ahmed, the waqf board caretaker, who claimed that one Syed Mohammad Eizaz had donated several bighas of his ancestral property at Akbarpur Sallahpur in Prayagraj district to waqf and is currently based in the US.

Mohammad Asiyam, the waqf property's caretaker, gave Mabood Ahmed the responsibility of maintaining the land. Mabood Ahmed further stated that he was absent for approximately six months receiving "cancer treatment" at the time that Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, Ashraf's wife Zainab, her brothers Zaid and Saddam, and two other relatives received multiple bighas of waqf property valued at approximately Rs 50 crore through the use of "fake documents."

He claimed that the aforementioned individuals sold this land to others where the building has been completed or is ongoing, Indian Express reported.

A PDA official present at the demolition site stated that the three-story under-construction building is in the possession of one Zeeshan Fatima. The authority had served a notice to Zeeshan Fatima following a complaint that the land belongs to waqf.

The person, however, failed to produce any relevant document or prove ownership, so the decision to demolish the building was taken, he added. The complainant also claimed that he was issued threats of death when he raised an objection over the grab.

Zainab Fatima is wanted for her suspected involvement in the 2023 murder of lawyer Umesh Pal. There is a Rs 25,000 reward for information that leads to her capture. In addition, she is charged under the Gangsters Act. Her brothers, Zaid and Saddam, are detained after being charged in many incidents. Both Shaista Parveen, Atiq's wife, and Ayesha Noori, his sister, are co-accused in the Umesh Pal murder case and are now at large. A Rs 50,000 reward is offered for information that results in her detention.

Two young people shot and killed Atiq and Ashraf in April of last year on the grounds of a government hospital. Both were being questioned by police in connection with the murder of Umesh Pal, and a police contingent was accompanying them when they were shot in the heads at blank range with semi-automatic handguns.

On February 24 of last year, a squad of attackers purportedly ordered by imprisoned don Atiq and his brother Ashraf showered lawyer Umesh Pal with gunshots outside his home. Umesh Pal was an eyewitness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal. Pal died, as did his two gunners. Atiq and Ashraf were among the main suspects in the Raju Pal murder case.

The charge sheet included ten suspects, including Atiq, his brother Ashraf, son Asad, and others. During a later encounter, Asad was among the four named accused who were killed by the police. Aside from Atiq's female family members, three more people are on the run.