UP STF arrests slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed's relative in tax evasion case

Superintendent of Police, STF, Brijesh Singh, said that Atiq Ahmed's relative has been arrested in a tax evasion case of more than Rs 100 crore, he is accused of stealing more than Rs 100 crore GST by making fake e-way bills.

Meerut: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested Meerut-based businessman Qamar Ahmed Kazmi, a relative of slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, in a tax evasion case of more than Rs 100 crore, officials on Friday said.

Superintendent of Police (SP), STF, Brijesh Singh, said that Atiq Ahmed's relative Kazmi has been arrested in a tax evasion case of more than Rs 100 crore.

He added that Kazmi is accused of stealing more than Rs 100 crore GST by making fake e-way bills.

The STF is looking into the foreign funding of Kazmi, who earlier served as the PRO of the Meerut Development Authority, and his anti-national connections.

Kazmi, the owner and partner of many big companies, including Hotel Broadway Inn, and his associates are accused of causing losses worth billions to the government by preparing fake e-way bills and GST bills with the help of fake PAN cards and other documents.

The senior police official said that a mobile phone, Mercedes car and some cash have been recovered from Kazmi, who is being interrogated.

Kazmi during his interrogation said that apart from his firms Paragon Industry Limited, Roorkee Haridwar, Micro Glass Industry Gurugram and GoodX Glass Meerut, there is Hotel Broadway in Meerut in which a Delhi resident is a partner, he added.

The SP further said Kazmi stated for "our personal benefit, we show the supplies from bogus firms in our firms. But instead of actual supply, only forged bills are exchanged."

The police officer said Kazmi also disclosed during his interrogation that he is also a relative of Atiq Ahmed's brother-in-law Akhlaq Ahmed, who is currently in jail.

A case has been registered against Kazmi in the Civil Lines police station.

Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead at Prayagraj's Colvin Hospital on April 15 this year.