ED seizes cash, gold, diamonds while raiding Atiq Ahmad's aides

New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday announced that it seized a massive amount of cash, gold and diamonds during recent raids at 10 premises belonging to aides of slain gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad.

The probe agency seized cash amounting to Rs 84.68 lakhs, a gold bar worth Rs 60 lakhs, gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 2.85 crore, digital devices and various physical documents and records while raiding the premises in Prayagraj, Lucknow and New Delhi.

"Our action led to the recovery and seizure of cash, papers related to the sale and purchase of properties, financial documents of companies and firms, bank statements, mobile phones, laptops, and other physical and electronic evidence to prove the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The physical and forensic analysis of the seized evidence is ongoing," said an ED official.

The ED initiated a PMLA investigation againstAhmad and his aides based on a crime report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the direction of the Supreme Court.

The allegations against them include kidnapping, extortion and assault.

"Atiq is a history-sheeter and ran a mafia gang involved in various serious crimes for a long time. It was revealed during the investigations that Atiq, through criminal activities since 1989 and by usurping government and other people's land properties, had amassed a huge amount of property in his name, his family members' names, and in the names of his associates and benamidars (nominees)," said the ED.