LUCKNOW: The judicial commission formed to investigate the murder of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in police custody has ruled out the possibility of a “pre-planned conspiracy” or “police negligence”.
The commission’s report, comprising 191 pages, was tabled in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on the last day of the monsoon session on Thursday.Chaired by Allahabad High Court Judge (retired) Arvind Kumar Tripathi, the five-member commission was tasked with probing the murder of Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf on April 15, 2023.
The commission, in its report, concludes, “The incident of 15 April 2023, in which accused Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, who were in 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.”
“The incident was not the result of police negligence nor was it possible for them to avoid the incident,” it says.
Considering that the three assailants who shot dead Atiq and his brother posed as journalists, the commission also suggested that the media should “observe certain restraints while covering such incidents”. The commission has suggested that the media should be regulated and controlled by the authorities concerned, particularly in the 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 suggests.
“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,” the commission 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,” it added.
The panel also suggested that the govt should identify hospitals at both district and tehsil levels for the medical examination of accused individuals in police custody. A comprehensive list of these designated hospitals should be distributed to all police stations with strict instructions that accused persons must only be taken to these listed facilities within their respective districts or tehsils for medical evaluations.
Designated hospitals, in consultation with the Director General of Medical and Health Services, will form a panel of doctors and specialists. This panel will be responsible for the medical care and examination of accused persons when they are taken to the hospital.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, who were already lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail and Bareilly district jail respectively, were brought to Prayagraj by the police in connection with the murder of Umesh Pal, a witness to the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal. Umesh Pal was shot dead outside his home in February 2023.