Supreme Court To Hear Pleas For Independent Probe Into Atiq Ahmed's Killing On 14 July

The Supreme Court said it will hear pleas on 14 July including one on forming a commission, chaired by a retired judge from the apex court, to investigate the "custodial" and "extra judicial deaths" of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf.

This plea was filed by Ahmed's sister.

A bench of Justices S R Bhat and Aravind Kumar heard two separate pleas related to Ahmed.

During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Uttar Pradesh, informed the bench that the state has submitted a status report as per the apex court's 28 April order.

This order was issued while considering a plea by advocate Vishal Tiwari, who had requested an independent investigation into the killings of Ahmed and his brother.

On 15 April, Ahmed (60) and Ashraf were fatally shot by three individuals pretending to be journalists. The incident occurred during a media interaction while the police were escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj.

During the hearing, the bench noted that they are currently focusing on the systemic problem rather than individual issues.

Tiwari, in his plea, has requested an inquiry into the "183 police encounters" that have occurred in Uttar Pradesh since 2017. He informed the bench that he has prepared a brief rejoinder to the state's status report.

Tiwari claimed that the state's status report contains a "suppression of material fact."

An advocate representing Ahmed's sister said that they have filed a separate petition which was scheduled for today's hearing.

The court scheduled a hearing for these matters on 14 July.

According to the Uttar Pradesh government's status report affidavit filed in the top court, the state is making every effort to ensure a thorough, impartial, and timely investigation into the deaths of Ahmed and Ashraf.

The state is also investigating security lapses that may have allowed the three attackers to breach the police cordon and shoot Ahmed and Ashraf.

Based on preliminary reports from the relevant Assistant Commissioners of Police, four police officers present at the scene and the Station House Officer of P S Shahganj, under whose jurisdiction the incident occurred, have been suspended pending disciplinary proceedings. The enquiry is currently underway.