Atiq dead, Mukhtar convicted, but sons and ‘fugitive’ wives now in police crosshairs in Yogi’s UP

With a manhunt on for Atiq Ahmed’s wife Shaista Parveen and Mukhtar Ansari’s spouse Afshan, a look at some ‘mafia’ family members currently in the radar of the UP police.

Shaista Parveen, Atiq Ahmed, Afshan Ansari, Mukhtar Ansari

SHIKHA SALARIA, The Print, 11 May, 2023, Lucknow: The murder of Atiq Ahmed and conviction of Mukhtar Ansari last month might seem like an end to the stories of the two Uttar Pradesh gangsters-turned-politicians, but the chase isn’t over yet, with the police now in hot pursuit of their absconding family members, including their wives.

Prayagraj don Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead on the night of 15 April, while Mau strongman Mukhtar Ansari was sentenced to 10 years in prison for murder and kidnapping on 29 April. The Yogi Adityanath government, though, continues its relentless crackdown on the remaining family members of these questionable “dynasties”.

On 2 May, the Prayagraj Police officially identified Atiq Ahmed’s absconding wife Shaista Parveen as a “mafia criminal”. This description appeared in an FIR registered against an alleged associate suspected of harbouring Parveen and two suspects in the Umesh Pal murder case, in which she has been named as a conspirator.

Meanwhile, Ansari’s spouse Afshan also has a reward on her head and has been named in numerous cases.

The police are also on the lookout for Mukhtar Ansari’s youngest son Umar, who is still at large, while tightening controls for Atiq’s eldest sons who are already behind bars.

Here’s a look at some of the ‘mafia’ family members who are lodged in jail as well as those who are currently in the radar of the police.

Atiq Ahmed ‘dynasty’— four sons, ‘mafia wife’

Former MP Atiq and his wife Shaista Parveen, once a mayoral aspirant herself, had five sons — Umar, Ali, Asad, and two minors that ThePrint is not naming.

Nineteen-year-old Asad — a suspect in the murder of BJP member and Atiq adversary Umesh Pal — was killed in a police ‘encounter’ on 13 April, just two days before three assailants gunned down his father and uncle in full media view.

That leaves matriarch Parveen and four sons, of whom Umar and Ali are currently in jail, and two who are minors.

Shaista Parveen

Parveen, 51, reportedly the daughter of a policeman, is alleged to have been involved in some of her husband’s criminal activities.

She joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in January and was a vocal proponent of her husband’s innocence in the aftermath of the 24 February Umesh Pal murder. She even went as far as to allege that the killing was a conspiracy to scupper her potential candidacy for the post of Prayagraj mayor.

Screengrab of Shaista Parveen from her induction event into the BSP | YouTube screengrab

However, she was subsequently booked in connection with the murder after a complaint from Pal’s wife and went underground even as photos purportedly showing her with two of the alleged shooters went viral.

According to UP police records obtained by ThePrint, Parveen is implicated in a total of three cases, including the murder of Umesh Pal.

In April, the police had already raised the reward for information leading to Parveen’s capture to Rs 50,000 from Rs 25,000.

On 2 May, the Prayagraj Police officially designated Parveen as a “mafia criminal” in an FIR registered at Dhoomanganj police station against the son of one of Atiq’s alleged associates.

The FIR in question was lodged under Section 216 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertains to harbouring an escaped offender or someone against whom an apprehension order has been issued.

It states that Atin Jafar, the son of Atiq’s associate Zafarullah, had been helping Parveen and other Umesh Pal case suspects hide from the police.

Zafarullah himself is currently incarcerated in Lucknow jail, along with Atiq’s eldest son, Umar Ahmed.

“Atin Jafar would mostly stay in Atiq’s flat in Lucknow’s Universal Crescent building but came to Prayagraj after police strictness increased in the aftermath of the Umesh Pal murder case. Jafar has also been helping mafia criminal Shaista Parveen and her shooters by providing them shelter for hiding,” reads the FIR, seen by ThePrint.

Additionally, the FIR states that Shaista and Sabir — one of the three fugitive assailants in the Umesh Pal case, along with Guddu Muslim and Armaan Bihari — sought refuge at Jafar’s residence in the Khuldabad area. They initially intended to attend the burial of Atiq and Ashraf but changed their plans out of fear of being arrested, the FIR adds.

Umar & Ali Ahmed

Umar, the eldest son of Atiq Ahmed and Shaista Parveen, has been lodged in a Lucknow jail since August last year in connection with the alleged kidnapping and torture of a businessman called Mohit Jaiswal in 2018.

According to the charges framed in the case last month, Jaiswal was allegedly kidnapped by Atiq’s aides and taken to Deoria jail where the gangster and others assaulted him and forced him to sign a piece of blank paper so they could grab his Rs 45-crore property.

Atiq’s second son, Ali Ahmed, is lodged in the Naini Central Jail in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged against him in 2021 for allegedly extorting and threatening a property dealer.

After remaining absconding for a few months, Ali surrendered before a court in July 2022.

A Naini Jail official told ThePrint on condition of anonymity that stringent measures have been implemented to regulate Ali Ahmed’s visitors. Unlike other prisoners, those seeking to visit Ali must undergo verification by the local intelligence unit (LIU) of the Prayagraj Police before being granted permission.

“Visitors are permitted to meet him in accordance with the jail manual’s guidelines, but they will first undergo verification by the LIU,” the official explained.

Atiq Ahmed's son Asad | PTI

Notably, Atiq’s deceased third son Asad did not have a criminal history until the Umesh Pal murder case, in which he was named as one of the shooters. A police officer had earlier told ThePrint that Asad, who once reportedly dreamed of studying abroad, may have fired his gun in an “adrenaline rush”.

Atiq’s two youngest sons were enrolled in classes 9 and 11 at one of Prayagraj’s most prestigious schools. However, their lives took a turn in the wake of the Umesh Pal murder.

On 24 February, the day of the killing, the two teenagers were apprehended by the police and lodged in a child protection home at Prayagraj’s Rajrooppur. Neither has been accused in any criminal case.

Mukhtar Ansari clan — one in jail, two absconding

A former five-time MLA from Mau Sadar in eastern UP, Mukhtar Ansari is the leader of inter-state gang number 191 and history sheeter 16-b of Ghazipur’s Muhammadabad police station, according to police records in possession with ThePrint.

Ansari has a total of 61 cases lodged against him in different police stations of Ghazipur, Varanasi, Delhi, Lucknow, Mau, Barabanki, Azamgarh, Agra, Chandauli, and Punjab.

Mukhtar Ansari with his younger son Umar, who is wanted by the police | Instagram/umar_mukhtar_ansari

Last month, an MP/MLA court in Ghazipur sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment in connection with a Gangsters Act case from 2007. This case, notably, was registered in 2007 — two years after the 2005 murder of BJP leader Krishnanand Rai, in which Ansari was acquitted four years ago.

However, the police are also training their gaze on Ansari’s absconding wife Afshan and younger son Umar. The couple’s elder son Abbas Ansari, the sitting MLA from Mau Sadar constituency, is currently in jail and so is his wife.

Afshan Ansari

Afshan Ansari, declared as an absconder by the UP police last month, has a total of 11 cases lodged against her in police stations of Mau and Ghazipur.

These cases involve allegations of theft, forgery, cheating, damage to public property, criminal intimidation, and offences under the Gangster Act.

In an effort to apprehend Afshan Ansari, the UP police last month raised the reward for her capture to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000.

In addition, the Mau police sent requests to the CBI and immigration department last month to issue a lookout notice for Afshan as they reportedly suspect that she may try to flee the country.

Afshan had obtained a stay on her arrest from the Allahabad High Court last year, but she reportedly failed to comply with notices issued to her by the police, requesting her appearance for pending investigations.

Abbas Ansari & wife Nikhat Bano

Abbas Ansari is currently facing a total of eight cases lodged against him in various police stations located in Lucknow, Ghazipur, Mau, and Chitrakoot, with charges ranging from cheating and forgery to criminal intimidation and threat to commit extortion.

During last year’s assembly polls, Abbas Ansari contested from Mau Sadar constituency as a candidate of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and won the seat.

However, he landed in trouble when he made controversial remarks about government officials during a campaign rally on 3 March last year.

Abbas Ansari

A Mau resident takes a selfie with Abbas Ansari (in dark glasses) during the 2022 UP election campaign | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

This led to an FIR being registered against him at Kotwali police station in Mau under IPC sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 186 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their duties), 189 (threat of injury to a public servant), 153 a (promoting enmity), 171 f (undue influence or personation at an election), and 120 (criminal conspiracy).

Abbas is currently incarcerated in Kasganj jail in connection with this case.

Meanwhile, Abbas’ wife, Nikhat Bano, also got into legal trouble this February when she was arrested for allegedly illegally meeting her husband in Chitrakoot jail, after which he was transferred to Kasganj.

Meetings of the two were allegedly arranged in a room adjacent to the office of the jail superintendent and were omitted from prison records.

Bano has been booked under various IPC sections, including 506 (criminal intimidation), 201 (disappearance of evidence), and 120-b (criminal conspiracy).

Her arrest raised serious questions about the functioning of the jail, leading to the suspension of eight jail officials, including its superintendent, for alleged negligence.

Abbas, Nikhat’s driver Niaz, jail superintendent Ashok Kumar Sagar, deputy jail superintendent Sushil Kumar, constable Jagmohan, and other jail staff on duty were all booked in connection with this case. Currently, Nikhat is held in Chitrakoot jail.

Umar Ansari

Mukhtar Ansari’s youngest son Umar has a total of six cases lodged against him in police stations of Ghazipur and Mau for cheating, forgery, and other offences, according to police records in possession with ThePrint.

Late last month, a Mau MP/MLA court issued a non-bailable warrant against Umar Ansari in connection with the same campaign speech case as his brother Abbas.

Mau circle officer (city) Dhananjay Mishra told mediapersons that a manhunt is in progress. “Teams have been formed to arrest Umar. We will look for him wherever he can possibly be found and will be produced before the court,” the officer said.

Umar is still at large.

(Edited by Asavari Singh)