Asaduddin Owaisi denied permission to meet jailed gangster and former MP Atiq Ahmad in Ahmedabad

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was denied permission by the Ahmedabad Central Prison to meet jailed gangster and former MP Atiq Ahmad today. With its eyes set on next year's Assembly polls, Owaisi will arrive in Ahmedabad on a one-day trip. He had sought permission to meet Atiq Ahmad at the Sabarmati Central Jail.

"It is kindly intimated that as per the jail rules, meetings are permitted only with blood relatives or lawyers arguing the case. In light of the jail rules and the prevalent Covid epidemic, the permission for the meeting is regretfully denied," Rohan Anand, Superintendent, Ahmedabad Central Prison, said.

Earlier this month, Atiq's wife Shaista Parveen joined AIMIM, drawing a sharp reaction from the BJP which said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will not allow "Jinnah''s jehadi mentality" to flourish in Uttar Pradesh. While Parveen joined the AIMIM at a press conference in Lucknow on September 7, Atiq Ahmad joined the party in absentia.

Owaisi inducted former Samajwadi Party leader Ahmad and his wife claiming that the SP and Bahujan Samaj Party used Muslims as slaves in their parties. Defending his decision to induct Ahmad, who has several criminal cases lodged against him, Owaisi also asserted that even several BJP leaders are facing several cases.

A five-time legislator and one-time MP Ahmad, now over 60 years, has more than 90 criminal cases, including those of murders, abductions, illegal mining, extortion, intimidation and fraud, against him. He was shifted there from Uttar Pradesh to Ahmedabad on the Supreme Court's directions in 2019.

Till now, police have taken action on his properties worth more than Rs 200 crore. These actions were taken against Atiq Ahmed under the Gangster Act Besides demolishing the buildings, illegally built by Atiq and his men, the Allahabad district administration has also attached his several properties and those of his associates.