Atiq Ahmed benami assets case: I-T department summons BPL cardholder, records statements of others

Widening its probe into the alleged benami assets amassed by slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, the Income Tax department has issued fresh summons to a BPL cardholder security guard, who allegedly held about six land parcels worth crores in Uttar Pradesh, and recorded the statements of those linked to him.

An Income Tax department team also reached the home of the security guard -- Suraj Pal -- in Prayagraj district's Pipalgaon and handed over the summons issued in his name to his family members.

Pal is stated to be absconding and, according to the statement given to the department by his daughter, the family does know his whereabouts.

The Income Tax department has identified Pal as the "benamidar (in whose name a benami property is standing)" of more than 40 land assets of Atiq Ahmed and his gang members.

Ahmed (60) and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf were shot dead by three assailants in April when they were being taken for a health checkup by police in Prayagraj.

Pal is stated to be a security guard for Khalid Azim's relative Mohammad Ashraf and, according to the taxman's findings, holds a Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration card.

Official sources said the taxman recorded the statement of a few locals, including a neighbour of Pal, this week.

The neighbour informed the Income Tax sleuths that he has been residing in the vicinity of Pal's home for about 10 years but does not know what he does, the sources said.

The Income Tax department also recorded the statement of the local Public Distribution System (PDS) in-charge (kotedaar) in which he said the Pal family took rations meant for BPL families till 2021.

The department is expected to record the statements of more people linked to Pal even as it has launched a search for him, the sources said.

The Income Tax department had called the "alleged chowkidar or security guard" for questioning since late 2019 but, after he did not depose, issued an order last month to provisionally attach six land parcels located in Prayagraj and cumulatively valued at more than Rs 4.3 crore.

An analysis of Pal's Income Tax Return (ITR) found that the income and the assets of a person, who had a "very meagre income", grew from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 6.16 crore in five years between 2018-19 and 2022-23.

The Income Tax department suspects that Ahmad, his family and his associates, including Mohammad Ashraf, as the beneficial owners of these assets.

Benami means "no name" or "without name" and such properties are those in which the real beneficiary is not the one in whose name the asset has been purchased.