Lucknow. There is news of Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on more than 20 locations close to Mafia Atiq Ahmed. Actually, Atiq Ahmed and his close associates were converting black money into white by forming shell companies. Quoting sources, Hindi daily Dainik Jagran has reported that the ED has raided the locations of Atiq’s aides in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Noida and Delhi. According to the information, all the documents and cash have been recovered in these raids. The ED had already registered a money laundering case against Atiq and his family members. Earlier also ED had raided several times in the case of Atiq’s shell companies.
On April 12 this year, the ED had raided the premises of Sanjeev Aggarwal, owner of Vinayak City Mall and Sanjeev Aggarwal, former MLA from Chail, and Deepak Bhargava, owner of Amitdeep Motors, in Prayagraj on April 12 this year. The ED had earlier recovered several documents from Atiq’s relative Khalid Zafar, mafia lawyer Khan Sultan Hanif and others. Apart from this, Rs 75 lakh, foreign currency, jewellery, passbooks of bank accounts and documents of 50 shell companies were also found.
According to ED sources, Atiq Ahmed used to launder black money into white through these 50 shell companies. He had also collected all benami properties. Most of the assets were raised between 2012 and 2017. Atiq had also captured many government lands. The Yogi government has freed these lands from Atiq and his close ones. According to ED sources, Atiq’s close associates also formed 20 shell companies. These companies have addresses in Kolkata, Gujarat and Mumbai. According to ED sources, the documents recovered and the money laundering and acquisition of assets through shell companies are being thoroughly probed. After which strict sections will be imposed on the concerned accused.