Following the death of mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, his associate and father-in-law, Ataur Rahman, also known as Sikandar, is back in the headlines. Rahman has been on the run for the past 26 years. His name surfaced in numerous murder and kidnapping cases. Once recognized as the mastermind of the Mukhtar gang, both the CBI and police are actively on his trail, as revealed by former Uttar Pradesh DGP Brijlal Singh in a discussion with 'Aaj Tak'.
Singh disclosed that Rahman's close proximity to Mukhtar Ansari was undeniable. As family, Rahman wielded significant influence within the gang and has been evasive for the last 26 years, constantly sought after by law enforcement authorities.
Sleek suits and a briefcase in hand
Rahman's era of instilling fear is notable, and Brijlal Singh recounts the times when, after Munna Bajrangi, Rahman was Mukhtar's closest associate. Rahman was recognized for his signature attire—a suit and a numbered briefcase, which often concealed a foreign pistol.
Source: aajtak
Former DGP Singh revealed that high-profile individuals meeting their end with a single gunshot were indicative of Rahman's handiwork, such as the politician Ajit Singh's murder, where a silenced telescopic rifle confirmed Rahman's involvement.
The investigations into Ajit Singh's demise unfolded a web of names, including Akhilesh Singh and Ramesh Kaliya, with CID assigned the probe. However, interventions by the ruling SP government led to a narrative that claimed the accidental discharge of a gunner's carbine was responsible, despite the underworld whispering Rahman's name as the true perpetrator.
A single gunshot, a silent end
Rahman's precision came to the forefront with Ranjit Singh’s assassination in 1991, where again only one bullet fired. Rahul Singh was targeted at a peepal tree near his house, and Mukhtar’s henchman Ramu Mallah’s home, with a crafted hole in the wall, served as Rahman’s sniping spot.
Rahman's prowess wasn't limited to just this; he executed Brijesh Singh’s mentor Sahab Singh with a single bullet, using his foreign rifle in the Varanasi courthouse. Similarly, constable Rajendra Singh met his end from Rahman’s Magnum 375 because of a vendetta Singh had against Mukhtar’s mentor Sadhu Makanoo Singh.
Extortion, kidnappings, and murder: Mukhtar's primary roles
Brijlal Singh outlined how, once Mukhtar became an MLA in January 1997, Rahman orchestrated the kidnapping and murder of prominent Delhi businessman Rungta, demanding millions in ransom. As pressure mounted on the Mukhtar gang with Kalyan Singh’s rise to Chief Minister in 1991, Mukhtar, along with shooters Munna Bajrangi and Rahman, fled to Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
The gang later expanded to include notorious Western UP criminals like Sanjeev Jeeva and Ravindra Bhura. The deadliest weapons Mukhtar acquired often traced back to one Prabhu Jot Dimpy, a fluent English-speaking terrorist.
Mukhtar even acquired an LMG
Brijlal Singh posited that unlike Mukhtar, Rahman wasn’t just a casual marksman; he was a professional sharpshooter seasoned by his numerous hits. This training enabled him to eliminate individuals with just a single gunshot. It was Rahman who supplied Mukhtar with a Light Machine Gun, later seized by Deputy SP Shailendra Singh on Republic Day.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, at the time, intervened, preventing Mukhtar from being charged under POTA, which would have critically impacted his operations. Similarly, in the assassination of BJP legislator Krishnanand Rai in 2005, Rahman played a prominent role.
Source: aajtak
Failing to apprehend Rahman, who likely fled to Nepal or Bangladesh, remains one of Singh’s regrets from his police service. He shares a harrowing tale of a Delhi coal businessman, Vijay Goel, whose kidnapping by the gang resulted in a 10-crore ransom demand. However, Mukhtar's capture thwarted the plan.
Delhi businessman abducted, 10 crore ransom demanded
Goel was eventually rescued from Panchkula, drugged into unconsciousness. If Mukhtar hadn’t been caught then, the aftermath could have been two-fold, the ransom disappearing and the businessman likely not surviving.
Details emerged on how Mukhtar managed his criminal activities from jail during the SP government tenure, with contracts from mining to railways, ration supply deals all brokered within prison walls. Mukhtar held sway over everything from petrol station operations to the sale of fish from Andhra Pradesh.
Mukhtar reigned supreme
The elaborate planning and execution by Mukhtar were so meticulous that his supply chain activities from Uttar Pradesh to Bihar relied on his recruits, from inspectors to constables. His gang even employed a constable named Faiyaz, who recently mourned Mukhtar’s death on social media.
Source: aajtak
Dodging police with meticulous planning
According to Singh, to evade capture, Mukhtar ensured all licensed guns his people carried were high-caliber Magnums and even had decoy police uniforms and telescopic gear ready in their cars. When pursued, they would instantly masquerade as PWD officials conducting road surveys, easily fooling onlookers, including law enforcement.
Among Mukhtar's men, one Rimpy, from Punjab, spoke fluent English, posing as an educated engineer, further evading police suspicion. Betraying none of the expected profiles of a wanted criminal allowed them to slip away.
The elusive Ataur Rahman's current whereabouts are speculated to be either Bangladesh or Pakistan, akin to Mukhtar's village associate Sahabu, who is believed to have resettled in Pakistan. Meanwhile, Rahman remains a significant figure in the police and CBI's ongoing investigation.
