On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted fresh searches in Uttar Pradesh as part of an ongoing money laundering probe against gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and those connected to him, sources said. The central agency is in the action and raids are being carried out at many locations, including Prayagraj and its neighbouring region. 

Ahamd is expected to appear in the trial of the Umesh Pal murder case at Prayagraj court on April 12. He is being brought by an Uttar Pradesh Police team via road from Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. He is accused in the murder of Pal and two police personnel were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj’s Dhoomanganj region on February 24 this year. 

Based on a complaint registered by Pal’s wife, a petition was filed on February 28 against Amhad, his wife Shaista Parveen, brother Ashraf, two sons and eleven others. On the other hand, the Uttar Pradesh Police produced Ahmad on March 26 in court. He was taken from the Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj via a road. 

In 2021, the Enforcement Directorate investigated the money laundering matter against  Ahmad and his wife and after the investigation, the central agency attached assets worth over â¹8 crores. The ED had conducted some searches during the period too. The agency official had said its investigation found that “Atiq Ahmad and its aides, mainly used its criminal activities to earn black money in cash and it was dumped the assets in his nearby relative and his family.” The agency official stated that during the earlier investigation by ED, funds were being credited to their accounts from many companies and firms, which are generally run by his aides.