Prayagraj: A two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government, has launched a detailed probe into the illegal occupation of land earmarked for the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), a cowshed, and a proposed warehouse for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
On Saturday, IG Dr. Balkar Singh and the Housing Commissioner arrived in Prayagraj and inspected the site in Mariyadih.
District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma accompanied them during the investigation. A confidential report will now be forwarded to the state government.
According to officials, in Mariyadih and Rasulpur Kashipur villages, mafia elements linked to Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf—particularly their associate Zaid Khalid, allegedly having connections with the slain gangster Atiq Ahmad—encroached upon 22 plots of land that had been allotted for the ATS unit.
The same area was also proposed for the construction of an EVM warehouse. The illegally occupied land is valued at approximately ₹6 crore.
Zaid Khalid, along with his brother Jaseem Ahmad and associates Rahil Siddiqui, Mahmood Akhat, Abu Zaid, Dilshad, and Dhirendra Pratap Singh, carried out illegal plotting and attempted to commercially sell the occupied land.
Following orders from DM Manish Kumar Verma, a preliminary probe was conducted, after which the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) demolished the illegal constructions.
On October 16, an FIR was also lodged under the direction of SDM Sadar Abhishek Kumar Singh.
The state government later took cognizance of the matter and set up the SIT. On Saturday, the team visited the site to assess how and when the illegal encroachments took place, and whether departmental negligence was involved.
Senior officials, including ADM Finance & Revenue Vineeta Singh, PDA Secretary Ajit Singh, SDM Sadar Abhishek Kumar Singh, and others, were present during the inspection.
Encroachment Near Land Purchased From MLA’s Wife
Investigators also found that Zaid Khalid had encroached on additional land surrounding a plot he had purchased from the wife of a sitting MLA.
He allegedly claimed the entire area as his own and tried to sell it as part of his illegal land dealings. Action was taken once the matter came to light.
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