SC seeks answers from Yogi govt over brazen killing of Atiq, brother

The Court has sought a “comprehensive affidavit” from the UP government on the steps taken to enquire into the killing of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf when they were being taken to a hospital for medical check-up in police custody,  writes Mudit Mathur The Supreme Court on Friday, 28 April, sought a “comprehensive affidavit” from the Uttar Pradesh government within three weeks on the steps taken to enquire into the killing of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed which took place on April 15 at Prayagraj when they were being taken to a hospital for medical check-up in police custody. The bench has also sought information on the inquiry into the encounter killings of the other accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, including Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad. The Court has also directed the State to inform about the steps taken in pursuance of the report of the judicial enquiry commission led by Justice BS Chauhan which probed into the Vikas Dubey encounter killing of 2020. The bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) plea by Advocate Vishal Tiwari seeking the constitution of an independent expert committee under the chairmanship of a former SC judge to probe the killings of both the brothers, which was caught on live television, and also 183 other encounter killings in the State of UP since 2017. Tiwari also questioned Justice Chauhan’s report which gave UP Police a clean chit in the Vikas Dubey encounter case. During the hearing, the bench asked the UP Government how the killers got the knowledge that Ahmed brothers were being taken to hospital? The bench also asked why the police made Ahmed brothers walk till the hospital entry gate, instead of taking them till there in the ambulance? Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, on behalf of the UP government, passionately urged the bench to not issue notice, saying that the state government had been probing into the two deaths. “This man and his entire family are embroiled in heinous crimes for the last 30 years. It is probable that the two were killed by those whose wrath they had encountered. This is one of the angles we are looking into,” Rohatgi told the bench. “Everyone saw the killings on the television. The killers came in the guise of news photographers. They had passes, were carrying cameras, and were even carrying identity cards that were later found to be fake. There were 50 people there and more people outside. This is how they managed to kill Atiq and Ashraf,” the senior counsel explained.