THE Uttar Pradesh Police have formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj, a senior official said on Monday. Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said the SIT was formed on the instructions of Prayagraj Commissioner of Police Ramit Sharma. “In the investigation of the case pertaining to the murder of Atiq Ahmad and his brother KhalidAzimalias Ashraf on April 15 (Saturday) in police custody... Investigation is being carried out by the SHO of Shahganj police station,” a statement issued by Sharma said. “...In order to ensure (recording) statements/evidence of witnesses, compiling of records/electronic evidence, scientific/forensic evidence, examination carried out in the forensic science laboratory and to ensure impartial and qualitative investigation, this investigation will be carried out by a Special Investigation Team (SIT),” it added.

 

The statement added that Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, Satish Chandra will be the SIT’s chief investigator. Its other two members are Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali police station) Satyendra Prasad Tiwari and Inspector, Investigation Cell of Crime Branch, Om Prakash. In another statement, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police R K Vishwakarma said a threememberteamofsupervisors has also been formed to ensure qualitative investigationandtime-boundaction. This teamisheadedby the additional director general of police of Prayagraj. The other two members are the police commissioner of Prayagraj and the director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Lucknow, the statement said. PLEA IN SC FOR INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE PROBE: A DAY after gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead under police escort, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Sunday seekingtheconstitutionofan independent expert committee headed by a former apexcourtjudgetoprobethe killings. The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, also sought an inquiry into the 183encountersthathavetaken place in Uttar Pradesh since 2017.