Inspector Suspended for Allowing Media Access to Atiq Ahmad’s Son During Jail Transfer
BK Singh
PRAYAGRAJ – In a sharp administrative move, Inspector Ashok Kumar, who was assigned to escort Ali Ahmad (son of the late gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad) from Naini Central Jail, Prayagraj, to Jhansi Jail, has been suspended.
The suspension came after Ali was allowed to address media reporters during the transit — a decision viewed as a serious breach of the security protocol.
Simultaneously, a departmental inquiry has been initiated into the conduct of the inspection and escort team.
Authorities deemed Ali’s interaction with journalists en route to Jhansi a major lapse in security. The decision to suspend the inspector was reportedly taken immediately.
Other members of the security team are also being questioned, and statements are being recorded as part of the ongoing internal investigation.
Background: Transfer, Media Access, and Controversial Statements
Ali Ahmad had been held in Naini jail for over three years. On October 1, he was officially transferred to Jhansi Jail. It was during this transfer that he spoke to the media, claiming that he was pursuing legal studies and had been wrongfully framed in false cases, and hinting that his life might be in danger.
He appealed to the Chief Minister and authorities, asking that he not be subjected to unjust treatment or harassment.
Media reports indicate that this was the first time Ali had been allowed or managed to speak to journalists since his incarceration.
The decision to permit this interaction during a security operation reportedly surprised many, given the sensitive nature of such transfers.
Security Breach, Jail Rule Violations & Related Incidents
According to The Statesman, Ali’s media engagement during transfer was flagged as a “grave breach” of prison and police protocols, prompting swift action by officials.
Further complicating matters, a video surfaced from within Jhansi Jail showing Ali recorded on a mobile device — a clear violation of prison regulations forbidding cell phones inside jail premises.
Earlier in the year, a scandal surfaced when ₹1,100 in cash was found in Ali’s Naini jail cell during a surprise inspection.
This prompted the suspension of a deputy jailer and a warden, with officials launching an inquiry into how cash had reached his high-security barrack.
After that discovery, jail authorities heightened security around Ali, imposing stricter entry restrictions, intensifying CCTV surveillance, and deploying additional security personnel to prevent further breaches.
Larger Context & Stakes
Ali Ahmad is not a mere bystander in criminal politics. His father, Atiq Ahmad, was a well-known gangster who later turned politician and was killed under mysterious circumstances while in police custody in 2023.
Ali has been implicated in various cases, including the high-profile Umesh Pal murder case, and has been in judicial custody since July 2022.
Given the violent history of the Ahmad family — including that Ali’s father and uncle were shot while being escorted to a hospital during earlier press interactions — any security slackness with Ali triggers alarm across law enforcement circles.
This incident has raised critical questions about standard operating protocols during prisoner transfers, especially for high-risk individuals.
How was a media interaction cleared during an in-transit movement? Who allowed it? Were senior officers consulted? These gaps in oversight are now under sharp scrutiny.
Reasons for suspension and its long-term effects
The swift suspension suggests that senior authorities view the breach as serious and wish to convey that such lapses will not be tolerated.
However, the incident also reflects deeper systemic issues — whether in chain-of-command communication, adherence to protocol, or pressure on officers to grant media access. In high-profile criminal cases, the line between transparency and security is delicate.
While media access is important, it must never undermine prisoner safety or operational integrity. The fact that Ali’s first public remarks came during a transfer — not in a controlled courtroom or formal press briefing — underscores how irregular the episode was.
With multiple prior violations (cash in cell, mobile phone video), the pattern suggests that jail and transfer security around Ali Ahmad has been porous for some time.
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