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Atiq was a MP from Phulpur in 2007 while Sonia Gandhi was chairperson of the UPA (File photo: PTI)
Accused in over 100 cases of heinous crimes including kidnapping, attempt to murder, and murders, Atiq’s net worth is estimated to be several thousand crores
Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was shot dead earlier this month, had illegally grabbed acres of land in Uttar Pradesh. When he was a Member of Parliament and his Samajwadi Party was in power in the state, the mafia had even allegedly tried to forcefully occupy the property of a member of the Gandhi family.
However, the swift intervention of Sonia Gandhi, when the Congress government was at the Centre, thwarted Atiq’s plans.
The incident dates back to 2007 when Atiq had his eyes on the property of Veera Gandhi, who belongs to the family of Sonia’s father-in-law, Feroz Gandhi in the Civil Lines area of Prayagraj. Atiq illegally took over the property and got it locked through his henchmen, Times of India reported.
Veera, who is the nephew of Feroze’s brother-in-law, reportedly sought Sonia’s help and Atiq had to hand over the property to the rightful owner. According to TOI report, local police and state government officials also did not come forward to help Veera, leaving her no choice but to approach Sonia.
The then Congress president asked Rita Bahuguna Joshi to intervene in the matter, which was sorted after Joshi spoke to the district administration.
When contacted by TOI, Veera said, “I don’t want to talk anything about Atiq.”
Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the then Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, confirmed TOI that Sonia Gandhi asked her to intervene in the matter. “I called the district administration and consequently Atiq pulled back in that case,” she said.
Accused in over 100 cases of heinous crimes including kidnapping, attempt to murder, and murders, Atiq’s net worth is estimated to be several thousand crores.
The UP government in a recent statement claimed to have already seized properties and assets worth around Rs 1,169 crore belonging to Atiq Ahmed.
This included the demolition of properties worth around Rs 750 crore and the seizure of assets worth Rs 417 crore.
In the last affidavit filed before the Election Commission of India in 2019, when Atiq had contested as an independent candidate from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, he had declared movable and immovable assets worth only Rs 25 crore.
But over the past three years, as the UP authorities vigorously chased him, trying to dismantle his clout, the value of his properties and investments was already more than Rs 1,100 crore.
It was very recently that the Enforcement Directorate began its probe into don Atiq’s financial empire. In April itself, raids were conducted at multiple locations of UP, including Atiq’s native district of Prayagraj.
Sources in the government say that attachments, seizures, and demolitions so far, accounting for Rs 1,169 crore in assets, could just be the tip of the pan-India and probably also offshore business and investment empire that the former ‘bahubali’ MP created.
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