UP: Atiq Ahmad's two jailed sons among six booked for attempt to murder, extortion

Prayagraj (UP): Police here have filed a fresh FIR against gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad's two sons Umar and Ali, who are currently in jail, and four others on charges of attempt to murder and extortion.

The FIR was registered at Khuldabad police station on the basis of a complaint lodged by a builder, Mohammad Muslim, police officials said.

Atiq and his brother Ashraf, both of whom were booked in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead here on April 15 by three men posing as journalists while they were being escorted by police personnel to a hospital for a checkup.

Mohammad, a resident of Chakia, started working as a builder in 2006. Atiq, his brother Ashraf and their henchmen encroached on his land and demanded money from him, according to the FIR.

Fearing Atiq, Mohammad left Prayagraj and went to Lucknow. However, Atiq's henchmen kept threatening him, the officials said.

Mohammad owns land in Devghat village which is worth about Rs 15 crore. Atiq's aide Asad Kalia visited Lucknow several times and threatened Mohammad to force him to transfer his land in the name of Ali and Umar Ahmad, they said.

A few years ago, Mohammad was surrounded, forced into a car and taken to Atiq's office, where he was locked in a room and beaten up, they added.

On the basis of Mohammad's complaint, an FIR under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 386 (extortion), among others, of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Umar and Ali Ahmad, Asad Kalia, Ehtesham Karim, Ajay and Mohd Nasrat, the officials said.

While Umar is lodged in Lucknow jail, Ali is lodged in Naini jail.

Atiq's third son, Asad, who was also named in the Umesh Pal murder case, was gunned down in a police encounter on April 13.