Atiq-Ashraf killing: Judicial commission rules out 'pre-planned conspiracy', 'police negligence'

Lucknow: A judicial commission formed to investigate the murder of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in police custody has ruled out any "pre-planned conspiracy" or "police negligence".

The commission's report was tabled in the Uttar Pradesh assembly on the last day of the monsoon session on Thursday.

The five-member commission under former Allahabad High Court judge Dilip B Bhosale was tasked to probe the April 2023 murder of the former lawmaker and his brother.

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

The two brothers had been brought to Prayagraj by police in connection with the murder of Umesh Pal, a witness to the 2005 killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in which Atiq Ahmed and others were prime accused.

In its report, the commission concluded, "The incident of 15th April 2023 in which accused Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, who were on police custody remand in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case under Police Station Shahganj, Prayagraj, were shot dead by three unknown assailants, cannot be said to be the result of a pre-planned conspiracy executed by the State Police."

It also gave a clean chit to the police, saying, "The incident of 15 April, 2023 in which accused Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf were killed by unknown assailants, was not the result of police negligence nor was it possible for them to avoid the incident." 

Considering that the three assailants who shot Atiq Ahmed and his brother posed as journalists, the commission suggested the media "observe certain restraints while covering such incidents".

It also recommended that the media shall be regulated and controlled by the authorities concerned particularly in case of any sensational incident.

"Media shall not be allowed to telecast live any event/incident in such a manner that it gives the plan/information about the movements of the accused/victims as well as the activities of the police in connection with the said incident," the commission suggested.

"Media shall not be briefed or informed about the stages of investigation of any crime such as taking the accused for recovery of incriminating objects," it said.

"When an investigation is in progress into a crime of public importance, the media should avoid conducting any talk show which may hamper the ongoing investigation," the panel added.

Umesh Pal and his police security guard were shot dead outside his home in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj in February 2023.