New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate is preparing to tighten the noose around Umesh Pal murder accused Atiq Ahmed weeks after no arrests have been made in connection with the incident, sources told ABP News. The federal agency had filed a case of money laundering against the gangster-turned politician but except for one action taken 15 months ago, there has been no new development in the case.
But the ED has now prepared to resume the proceedings of the case and Joint Director Jitendra Singh has already reached Prayagraj.
As per the sources, the federal enforcement agency has traced Atiq’s wealth worth more than Rs 100 crores in Prayagraj, Lucknow and half a dozen other cities.
ED’s proceedings will not be limited to Atiq but also his family members and associates.
In November 2021, the federal agency seized properties worth Rs 8 crores, from Prayagraj’s Phulpur town, under his wife Shaista’s name which was bought for Rs 4 crores.
ED’s Prayagraj unit has been probing the money laundering case.
It is expected that Atiq, who is currently lodged in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail, could be brought back to Uttar Pradesh during the case proceedings, though the agency will have to seek the court’s permission for the same.
On the directions of the Supreme Court, Atiq was transferred to Gujarat from UP in 2019.
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The money laundering case against Atiq will be resumed after it was shelved following Joint Director Rajeshwar Singh, heading the probe, took voluntary retirement from the service to contest for Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police doubled the reward to Rs 5 lakhs for anyone providing information leading to the arrest of five accused, including Atiq’s son Ahmed, in the case.
The key witness in BSP MLA Raju Pal’s murder in 2005 in Prayagraj, Umesh Pal was shot dead in the city’s Dhoomanganj area on February 24 outside his home while he was returning back from giving his final statements in the Raju Pal’s case.