Beneath the Surface: I-T dept seizes BPL card holder's land in Atiq Ahmad's investigation

Several plots of land in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district, owned by a security guard holding a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card, have been confiscated by the Income Tax department. This move comes as part of the department’s efforts against the deceased gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad. Ahmad’s family and gang are believed to be beneficiaries of numerous “benami” properties valued at millions of rupees. In a significant development, the Benami Prohibition Unit (BPU) of the Income Tax department, located in the state capital Lucknow, has initiated its first action against Atiq Ahmad’s network. This action is part of a comprehensive inquiry under the anti-benami law, targeting Ahmad’s family and associates. Official sources have revealed that the Income Tax authorities unearthed various lands and immovable assets held by individuals with very limited financial means. These assets were seemingly generating funds that were being funnelled for the benefit of Ahmad’s family, even following his demise. Atiq Ahmad, aged 60, and his brother Khalid Azim, also known as Ashraf, were fatally shot by three assailants in April during a police-conducted health checkup in Prayagraj. Based on records accessed by PTI, the Income Tax department has identified Suraj Pal from Pipalgaon in Prayagraj district as the “benamidar” responsible for more than 40 land assets connected to Atiq Ahmad and his gang. The term “benami” refers to properties held under a fictitious name, where the true beneficiary is different from the registered owner. Pal is reportedly a security guard employed by Mohammad Ashraf, a relative of Ahmad’s slain brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf. According to tax authorities, Pal holds a Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration card. The Income Tax department summoned the “alleged security guard” for questioning starting in late 2019. However, as he did not cooperate, the department has now issued an order this week to provisionally seize six land parcels in Prayagraj. These properties are collectively valued at over Rs 4.3 crore. An examination of Suraj Pal’s income tax returns (ITRs) revealed a significant increase in income and assets over five years, from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 6.16 crore between 2018-19 and 2022-23. This order, issued under section 24(3) of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transaction Act, 1988, follows the department’s findings that Pal was allegedly rapidly selling off these properties. The Income Tax department suspects that Atiq Ahmad, his family, and associates, including Mohammad Ashraf, are the true owners of these assets. To establish these connections, the tax department extensively analyzed records from the UP Police, UP Inspector General of Registration and Stamp, and the Income Tax department. This investigation revealed not only familial ties but also the involvement of Mohammad Ashraf in multiple criminal cases alongside Atiq Ahmad. Moreover, Mohammad Ashraf and his father-in-law Mohammad Rafiq alias Gulful were co-accused in a police case involving the abduction of Umesh Pal, a crucial witness in the murder case of MLA Raju Pal. Atiq Ahmad and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf were the main accused in this case. These findings prompted the department to pursue the benami case, demonstrating a close association between the deceased gangster-politician and Mohammad Ashraf. It is understood that the Income Tax department has notified the Uttar Pradesh registrar of lands and properties about the order against Pal. This notification prevents any transfer, conversion, disposition, or movement of the attached assets. The department is poised to submit the case for the final attachment of these assets. This marks the second major action by the Income Tax department’s anti-benami unit in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier this year, the department identified nearly two dozen assets worth approximately Rs 100 crore linked to another gangster-politician, Mukhtar Ansari. As part of “Operation Panther,” the department seized land worth Rs 12 crore in Ghazipur district, targeting Ansari and his associates. (With inputs from PTI)