Pink Slip, White Slip And Fixed Rates — How Atiq Ahmed Drew Money Through 'Election Tax'
Gangster Atiq Ahmed use to take 'election tax' from rich builders and big businessmen to contest elections. There were two different categories of slips that were issued for this purpose.
The 40 years of mafia rule of gangster Atiq Ahmed ended within 40 seconds on Saturday when three men shot him and his brother dead outside a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj despite heavy police security presence. While the incident ended the story of once a dreaded criminal, Atiq for once and all, it has raised questions on police conduct and the mastermind who got Atiq and his brother killed. The authorities are investigating every possible angle and in the probe, several new details of Atiq's criminal world are coming out. Among them is his 'Election Tax'.
The fact that mafias take money from many businessmen to contest elections is not new and it has been addressed by the election commission on many occasions. Now, it has come forth that Atiq Ahmed use to take 'election tax' from rich builders and big businessmen to contest elections. His men used to issue tax recovery slips after fighting the polls.
There were two types of slips in practice that were issued to businessmen and others by Atiq's goons. One was a pink slip and the other was a white one. The pink slip had a rate ranging from Rs 3-5 lakh while for a white slip, it was Rs 5 lakh or more. Interestingly, the money used to be deposited directly in an account and was not dealt with in cash.
As per the information, the money collected through this 'election tax' was deposited in the Bank of Maharashtra with account number 60164021028. The name associated with the bank account is - Atiq Ahmed.
The development comes amidst the ongoing investigation to find who planned the double murder of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf. The gangster brothers were killed at point-blank range by assailants posing as journalists as the mafia brothers were responding to queries by mediapersons.
The attackers have said that they have no remorse for their actions. They were ready to accept a death sentence for their crime. They feel whatever they did was right. "All limits were crossed. It was unbearable," they said, as per the sources. The attackers are yet to reveal who sanctioned the murder.
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