SC to hear plea seeking independent probe into killing of Atiq and Ashraf on April 28

New Delhi/ Prayagraj: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on April 28 a plea seeking an independent probe into the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

Atiq Ahmad (60) and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction on April 15 night while police personnel were escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj for a checkup.

The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, has also sought an inquiry into the 183 encounters that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh since 2017.

Tiwari mentioned the matter for urgent listing on Monday before a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha.

He told the bench that his plea was slated to come up for hearing on Monday but it has not been listed.

“Since five judges are not available, some cases in which dates were given have not been listed. We will try to list this on Friday (April 28),” the CJI said, adding, some apex court judges are down with COVID-19 while some others are indisposed due to other reasons.

The plea filed in the apex court has sought the setting up of an independent expert committee to probe the killing of Atiq and Ashraf.

Referring to Atiq’s killing, the plea said “such actions by police are a severe threat to democracy and rule of law and lead to a police state”.

“In a democratic society, the police cannot be allowed to become a mode of delivering final justice or to become a punishing authority. The power of punishment is only vested in the judiciary,” the plea submitted.

Meanwhile, police on Monday found what appeared to be blood smeared on the walls of the abandoned office of Atiq.

Police also found a “blood-stained” clothes and knife in the Chakia locality of this Uttar Pradesh district, a senior officer said.

The police reached Ahmed’s office after receiving information that blood marks were seen there, Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepak Bhukar told reporters.

The forensic team has collected the samples which will be analysed and only after that it will be known whether it is human blood or that of an animal, he said, adding that the report is likely to come by evening.

On March 21, police said they recovered more than Rs 74 lakh cash and illegal weapons from a partially demolished office of Ahmed in the Chakia area on the information provided by two of his five accomplices arrested on the same day, officials said.