In a money laundering case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) provisionally attached the assets of politician-turned-mafia member Atiq Ahmad on Monday. As per a report from the financial management, the case relates to Atiq Ahmad and his wife's property and bank accounts, in the sum of Rs. 8.14 crore, which have been attached under PMLA, 2002.

The ED has attached a land property situated at 'arazi no 386 and 387, mauza katka, paragana Jhunsi' in the Phulpur Tehsil of Allahabad and it is in the name of Parveen. "This property was acquired by Ateeq Ahmad for a consideration of Rs 4.5 crore only, which is far below the government value of Rs 6.86 crore," the ED said.

The ED's latest crackdown comes at the same time that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) plans to field him in the 2022 parliamentary elections in Uttar Pradesh. Ahmad previously held political positions with the Samajwadi Party (SP).

He was elected to the Lok Sabha on the SP ticket in the 2004 General Elections. From 1989 to 2004, he served as an MLA from the Allahabad West constituency five times in a row. His current residence is the Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat, where he faces numerous criminal charges, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and fraud.

In a key development ahead of UP elections 2022, a mafia don-turned politician and his wife were inducted into AIMIM on September 7, alongside his lawyer Shaista Parveen. The AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi addressed a press conference in Ayodhya to defend Ahmad's entry into the party, pointing out that several BJP legislators were also facing criminal charges. Owaisi was refused permission to meet the jailed politician-turned-don on September 20.

Owaisi stated, "If Atiq Ahmad delivered a provocative speech before the Muzaffarnagar riots or made a speech in Gorakhpur which led to trouble and he belonging to the community which is in power, then the cases against him would have been withdrawn. This is the reality. As per Indian law, he is yet to be convicted in any case."

Reading out her husband's written statement on this occasion, Shaista Parveen stated, "I have listened to many speeches of Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi and his Parliamentary debates. I am influenced by his capability and farsightedness. I am joining AIMIM taking into account Owaisi's love for the country and faith in the Constitution, his love towards the minorities and Dalits, and his mission."

Image source: Times now