Extension of Judicial Custody for Accused in Atiq Ahmed Murder Case

The judicial custody of the three accused assailants, Lovelesh Tiwari, Arun Maurya, and Sunny Singh, who allegedly gunned down Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed, has been extended till July 14, 2023.

The accused were presented before Chief Judicial Magistrate Prayagraj via video conferencing, where their judicial custody was extended.

Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were fatally shot by individuals posing as journalists on April 15 of this year while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj. Atiq Ahmed was previously accused in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal and the killing of a key witness in that case, Umesh Pal, in February of this year.

The Uttar Pradesh government filed a status report in the Supreme Court on Sunday regarding Atiq Ahmed’s death case. It informed the court about ongoing police reforms and modernization measures, including instructions on handcuffing to prevent the easy escape of hardened criminals. The state highlighted the comprehensive modernization process of its police department, which involved the acquisition of various equipment and vehicles such as prison vans, drones, body-worn cameras, post-mortem kits, full-body protectors, radio equipment, security equipment, ATS-related equipment, and more.

The state government reported that a chargesheet has been filed in connection with the case and emphasized its commitment to follow the witness protection scheme. Furthermore, the government stated that it is taking steps to implement the recommendations of Justice (Retd.) BS Chauhan’s Commission of Inquiry Report and is thoroughly investigating security lapses to ensure accountability.

The report also mentioned that an inquiry is underway into the security lapses that allowed the three attackers to breach the police cordon and carry out the shooting. As a result, four police officers present at the scene and the Station House Officer (SHO) of PS Shahganj, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, have been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings based on prima facie reports from relevant Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs).