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Atiq Ahmed arrested in New Delhi

Staff Reporter

He was wanted in connection with the murder of BSP MLA

— Photo: PTI /Vijay Verma

Arrested at last: Atiq Ahmed being taken to a Tis Hazari court in Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: Atiq Ahmed, expelled Samajwadi Party MP who was wanted by the Uttar Pradesh police in connection with some criminal cases including the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal in 2005, was arrested at Pitampura here on Thursday.

On Friday, a Tis Hazari court granted a transit remand for producing him in an Allahabad court within two days, but sent him to the Tihar Central Jail here in view of security concerns.

The court directed the Jail Superintendent and the Deputy Commissioner of the Delhi police (3rd Battalion) to produce him before an Allahabad court.

Karnal Singh, Joint Commissioner, Delhi police (Special Cell), said that following a tip-off that Ahmed would come to Ghalib Apartment on Parwana Road to meet some persons, a police team intercepted the vehicle in he was travelling.

Ahmed, who was arrested in the Raju Pal murder case and was out on bail, allegedly threatened witnesses for deposing against him. After that, nine cases on various charges were registered against him.

It is learnt that after he went underground, Ahmed visited Mumbai and Faridabad before coming to the capital where he changed several hideouts.

According to the Delhi police, he was previously involved in 38 criminal cases, including murder, attempt-to-murder, extortion, kidnapping, rioting and under the Arms Act and the Gangsters Act in Uttar Pradesh.

In 1995, he was allegedly involved in the murder of an undertrial Akhtar on the Allahabad High Court premises.

In 2001, he allegedly hatched a conspiracy to murder his political opponent Javed Iqbal in Allahabad. A bodyguard of Javed was killed in that attack.

Lucknow Special Correspondent reports:

A Home Department spokesman said Atiq Ahmed would be presented before a magistrate on his return to Lucknow before being taken to Allahabad.

Ahmed carried a reward of Rs.20,000 on his head, Sarvesh Kumar Mishra, Special Secretary, Home, told newspersons. He said the State government had requested the Delhi police to secure his remand.

Elected from Phulpur in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Ahmed was expelled from the SP by its president and former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh in January this year.

He fell out with Mr. Singh after he established contact with the rebel SP member of Parliament and president of the Samajwadi Kranti Dal, Beni Prasad Verma. Through Mr. Verma, he reportedly started hobnobbing with the Congress leadership.

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