Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court on Monday rejected the bail application of Mohd Umar, the eldest son of slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, in a case involving alleged extortion, demand for money, and threats to life.The bail application was rejected by Justice Avnish Saxena.An FIR was lodged at Khuldabad police station in Prayagraj on April 26, 2023, by one Mohd Muslim, claiming a demand for Rs 2 lakh, along with kidnapping, assault, and threat to life. Apart from Mohd Umar, Ali Ahmad, Asad Kalia, Mohd Nasrat, and two others were also named as accused in the case. Mohd Umar is presently lodged in Lucknow jail.After hearing both sides, the court rejected Mohd Umar’s bail application, observing: “The prima facie allegation against the accused-applicant is that he, along with other co-accused, abducted the informant and extorted money from him. The informant, who is in the business of plotting and construction, changed his place of residence and work from Allahabad to Lucknow merely to save himself from the clutches of goons, as he was consistently being threatened for payment of the extortion money.”“It is also apparent from a bare perusal of the FIR that the informant had recordings of those threats, which are to be examined before the trial court. So far as the point of payment of the extortion amount to the tune of Rs 1.2 crore is concerned, the same is a subject matter of trial, and the cross-examination of the informant has been continuing since 2024. At this juncture, there is no point in allowing the accused-applicant to be released on bail. The application is devoid of merit,” it added.
