Atiq Ahmad's sister moves SC seeking inquiry into 'extra-judicial killings'

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court by the sister of slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf seeking constitution of a commission chaired by a retired apex court judge to inquire into their "custodial" and "extra judicial deaths".

Atiq Ahmad (60) and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists in the middle of a media interaction while police personnel were escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj in April.

In her petition, Aisha Noori, has also sought a comprehensive inquiry by an independent agency into the "campaign of encounter killings, arrests and harassment" targeting her family which is allegedly being carried out by the Uttar Pradesh government.

"The petitioner, who has lost her brothers and nephew in 'state-sponsored killings', is constrained to approach this court through the instant writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, seeking a comprehensive inquiry by a committee headed by a retired judge of this court or in the alternative by an independent agency into a campaign of 'extra-judicial' killings carried out by the respondents," the plea submitted.

"The respondents-police authorities are enjoying full support of the Uttar Pradesh government which appears to have granted them complete impunity to kill, arraign, arrest, and harass members of the petitioner's family as part of a vendetta," it alleged.

It claimed that in order to "silence" the members of the petitioner's family, the state is "roping them one by one in false cases".

The petitioner said it is essential that an independent agency carries out an inquiry which can "evaluate the role played by high-level state agents who have planned and orchestrated the campaign targeting the petitioner's family".

The top court is seized of a separate plea filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari seeking an independent probe into the killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf.

While hearing Tiwari's plea on April 28, the apex court had questioned the Uttar Pradesh government why Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf were paraded before media while being taken to a hospital for a medical checkup in police custody in Prayagraj.

The counsel appearing for Uttar Pradesh had told the top court that the state government is probing the incident and has constituted a three-member commission for this.

The top court had directed the state government to submit a status report on steps taken after the incident.

In his plea, Tiwari has also sought an inquiry into the 183 encounters that have taken place in Uttar Pradesh since 2017.