UP Police Charge Sheet Mentions Atiq Ahmed Had Links With Pakistan's ISI And LeT, Cites 'Confession'

The UP Police has claimed that Atiq Ahmed confessed to having connections with Pakistan's ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba. He also confessed to have facilitated supply of weapons in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Uttar Pradesh Police, in its charge sheet against Atiq Ahmed, has said that the gangster-turned-politician had connections with Pakistani terrorist organisations. The UP Police also said that Atiq Ahmed had confessed to having been in regular touch with 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 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."

The UP Police submitted the charge sheet to the Prayagraj chief judicial magistrate on Thursday. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were sent to 14 days' judicial custody and five days in police custody in the Umesh Pal murder case.  Ahmed was transferred from a prison in Gujarat to Naini Central Jail in Prayagraj on Wednesday for the second time in two weeks. He was brought to court for the Umesh Pal murder case. 

'ASAD PLANNED TO FREE FATHER ATIQ AHMED DURING TRANSFER'

However, his son Asad was killed in a confrontation with UP Special Task Force in Jhansi earlier on Thursday. The UP Police said that Asad had planned to free his father Atiq during the transfer to Prayagraj.

Atiq and Ashraf, also known as Khalid Azim, were brought before Chief Judicial Magistrate Dinesh Gautam at 11.10 am under tight security. The hearing lasted over two hours. According to the news agency PTI, advocate Vikram Singh, who represents Umesh Pal's wife Jaya, stated that Atiq and Ashraf will remain in Naini jail in Prayagraj until April 26.

Asad, son of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, and Ghulam, son of Maksudan, were wanted by the police for their alleged involvement in the murder of Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj. Both were killed during a police operation in Jhansi. 

The operation was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Navendu and DySP Vimal from the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF). The police recovered sophisticated weapons that were made in a foreign country. There was a reward of Rs 5 lakh on their heads.

"I am totally reduced to dust, but please don't trouble the women and children of my family now," gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed had told reporters from inside a police van on Wednesday.