Atiq-Ashraf Killing: What the Judicial Inquiry Found
Explore the Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf killing timeline, the three accused, SIT chargesheet and the judicial commission's findings on police negligence.
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The Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf killing took place on the night of 15 April 2023, when three men posing as journalists shot the former MP and his brother at point-blank range outside a Prayagraj hospital while police were escorting them for a medical examination. Two separate processes followed. A police Special Investigation Team chargesheeted the three men for murder, and a five-member judicial commission examined whether the police had failed. This page sets out what each one found, who the accused are, and why an inquiry finding is not a trial verdict.
💡 Short Answer
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf were shot dead in police custody outside Colvin Hospital, Prayagraj, on 15 April 2023. Three men, Lavlesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh and Arun Maurya, were arrested at the scene and chargesheeted for murder in July 2023; charges were framed on 29 April 2024. A judicial commission headed by Justice Dilip B. Bhosale, whose report was tabled on 1 August 2024, found no police negligence and no pre-planned conspiracy by the state police. No trial verdict had been reported as of 9 November 2026.
Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Killing: Key Questions
The Case in Nine Points
- In custody: the brothers were on police remand in the Umesh Pal murder case when they were shot.
- On camera: the attackers posed as reporters with a mic, a camera and a fake press ID, and the shooting was broadcast live.
- Arrested at the scene: all three surrendered and were held immediately.
- Two days earlier: Atiq’s son Asad was killed in a police encounter in Jhansi on 13 April 2023.
- Chargesheet: 2,056 pages, filed 88 days after the killings, with over 200 witnesses.
- Alleged motive: to make a name in the crime world, according to the SIT. This is an allegation.
- Commission: no police negligence and no pre-planned conspiracy by the state police.
- Media: the commission recommended limits on live coverage of accused persons’ movements.
- Trial: charges framed 29 April 2024; no verdict found as of 9 November 2026.
Two Investigations, Two Different Questions
The single most misunderstood point in this case.
| Process | Main question | Outcome so far |
|---|---|---|
| Police SIT | Who shot the brothers, how was it planned, and what evidence links the accused? | Chargesheet against three accused, 13 July 2023; charges framed 29 April 2024 |
| Bhosale judicial commission | Were there police lapses, or a conspiracy by the state police? | Report tabled 1 August 2024; no negligence, no pre-planned state-police conspiracy |
| Sessions court trial | Has the prosecution proved murder beyond reasonable doubt? | No verdict found as of 9 November 2026 |
| Supreme Court petitions | Is an independent probe needed into this and other UP encounter killings? | Status reports filed by UP in 2023; state said it found no police fault |
How It Began: From Raju Pal to Umesh Pal
Atiq Ahmed was a five-time MLA from Allahabad West and won the Phulpur Lok Sabha seat in 2004. When BSP MLA Raju Pal, who had beaten Ashraf in the by-election for Atiq’s vacated seat, was killed in January 2005, the brothers became prime accused. Umesh Pal was a witness in that case. His murder in February 2023 brought both brothers back to Prayagraj for questioning, which is why they were in police custody on 15 April.
Timeline: The Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Killing, 2005–2026
Newest first. Colour shows the strand each event belongs to.
Where the case stands Courts
Established: The SIT filed a 2,056-page chargesheet against Lavlesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh and Arun Maurya in July 2023, and an Additional Sessions Judge in Prayagraj framed charges against them on 29 April 2024. The Bhosale commission’s report, tabled on 1 August 2024, found no police negligence and no pre-planned conspiracy executed by the state police.
Not found: We could not find a reliable report of a trial verdict, conviction or acquittal up to 9 November 2026. The three men are therefore described here as accused.
Separate questions: The commission examined police conduct. Only the sessions court can decide whether the prosecution has proved murder against the three accused.
Bhosale commission report tabled: no police negligence Commissions
Finding on conspiracy: The killings “cannot be said to be the result of a pre-planned conspiracy executed by the State Police”, the report said.
Finding on negligence: The incident “was not the result of police negligence nor was it possible for them to avoid the incident”. It found no laxity on the part of the 21 police personnel on escort duty.
Why it says so: Live television coverage of every movement of the brothers kept the assailants informed, so they needed no reconnaissance. They approached holding a mic among other media persons and opened fire suddenly.
Recommendations: Media should not telecast live in a way that reveals the movements of accused persons or police, should not be briefed on investigative steps such as recovery visits, and should be kept away from accused persons during medical examinations or court appearances.
Second panel backs police in Asad and three other encounters Commissions
What it covered: Police encounters of four accused in the Umesh Pal murder: Arbaaz on 27 February 2023, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary alias Usman on 6 March 2023, and Atiq’s son Asad Ahmad with Mohammad Ghulam in Jhansi on 13 April 2023.
Finding: It said the accused opened fire first, the police acted in self-defence, and it found no malice, conspiracy or fault on the part of the police.
Charges framed against the three accused Courts
What happened: The court framed charges against Lavlesh Tiwari, Mohit Singh alias Shani (Sunny) and Arun Maurya, who appeared by videoconference from Chitrakoot district jail, and fixed 2 May 2024 to begin recording evidence.
What it means: Framing charges sets out the accusations to be tried. It is not a finding of guilt.
One year on, questions remain Police probe
What was reported: IANS reported that the three accused were lodged in Chitrakoot jail, that police maintained they acted to make a name in the underworld, and that “many questions regarding the murders remain unanswered”.
Other cases: Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen and alleged gang members wanted in the Umesh Pal case were still absconding, the report said.
UP tells the Supreme Court it found no police fault Courts
Context: On 11 August 2023 the court had asked the state to report the stage of investigation or trial in seven incidents raised in a PIL by advocate Vishal Tiwari, including the killings of Atiq and Ashraf. A separate petition by Atiq’s sister Aisha Noori sought a court-monitored probe.
State’s position: The state said it was “leaving no stone unturned to ensure a fair and impartial investigation” and that, where investigations were complete, “no fault has been found on the part of the police”.
Trial delayed as the accused have no lawyers Courts
What happened: No lawyer appeared for the accused when the chargesheet was filed. Hearings in August 2023 were taken up while legal representation was arranged, and reports said a lawyer was appointed for them on the court’s orders.
SIT files a 2,056-page chargesheet Police probe
The document: 2,000 pages of case diary and a 56-page chargesheet, with post-mortem reports, photographs, a crime-scene map, a crime-reconstruction report and a ballistic report. Charges included IPC 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), and the Arms Act.
The allegation: The SIT named Sunny Singh of Hamirpur as the mastermind who instigated the other two. It said they had no personal enmity with the brothers and wanted to become known by finishing the “gang”.
Witnesses: Over 200 witnesses in the case diary and chargesheet, including 21 police personnel on escort duty, 11 media workers and more than 16 hospital staff, plus 70 CCTV footages and 15 video recordings.
Next step: The CJM took cognisance and sent the case to the sessions court for trial.
Supreme Court hears the PIL; status report on record Courts
What the state said: In a status report filed on 30 June, UP listed three tracks: the judicial commission, a police SIT supervised by a three-member team led by the ADG of Prayagraj zone, and a separate district-level judicial inquiry. The commission’s term had been extended to 24 September 2023.
Court’s stance: The bench said it was concerned with systemic problems rather than individual cases, and allowed the petitioner to file a rejoinder.
Supreme Court asks UP for a status report Courts
What happened: Hearing the PIL, the court asked the state to report on the steps taken after the killings. As widely reported, the bench asked why the brothers were paraded before the media and not taken to the hospital directly in an ambulance.
Commission expanded to five members under Justice Bhosale Commissions
New chair: Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale, former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court.
Members: Vice-chairman Justice Virender Singh, former Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court; Justice (retd) Arvind Kumar Tripathi-II; retired district judge Brijesh Kumar Soni; and former UP DGP Subesh Kumar Singh.
Shooters moved to Pratapgarh; four police officers suspended Police probe
Jail transfer: On 17 April the three accused were shifted from Naini Central Jail to Pratapgarh district jail and kept in a high-security cell, citing threats to them.
Suspensions: On 19 April four police officers, including Shahganj station officer Ashwani Kumar Singh, were suspended for negligence after SIT questioning. The same day a CJM court gave the SIT four days of police custody of the accused.
FIR registered and SIT formed Police probe
FIR: A police complaint named the three men under IPC 302, 307, 120B, 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420, 467 and 468 (forgery), the Arms Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act. Reports differ on whether it was registered on 16 or 17 April.
What the FIR said: According to ThePrint, the accused told police they wanted to make a name in UP by wiping out the brothers’ gang, had posed as reporters with a fake press ID, camera and mic, and failed to judge the police presence, so could not escape.
SIT: Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma formed a three-member SIT under ADCP (crime) Satish Chandra. A court sent the accused to 14 days’ judicial custody on 16 April.
Three-member judicial commission formed Commissions
Members: Headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Arvind Kumar Tripathi, with retired judge Brijesh Kumar Soni and former DGP Subesh Kumar Singh, under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952.
Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf shot dead in police custody Killings
What happened: The handcuffed brothers were being walked into the hospital for a court-mandated medical examination when media persons crowded round for a sound bite. According to the FIR, two men carrying a mic and a camera dropped their equipment, drew pistols and opened fire; it was over within seconds.
Arrests: The three assailants surrendered on the spot and were arrested by police present there.
Custody: The brothers were on police custody remand in the Umesh Pal murder case until 17 April.
Asad killed in encounter; brothers remanded Background
Encounter: Atiq’s son Asad Ahmad and Mohammad Ghulam, both accused in the Umesh Pal murder, were killed in a police encounter in Jhansi.
Remand: The same day a Prayagraj court sent Atiq and Ashraf to police custody until 5 pm on 17 April. Police first took them to the same hospital on 13 April, when media also gathered round them.
Atiq convicted in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case Courts
What happened: Atiq Ahmed was convicted of the 2006 kidnapping of Umesh Pal and sentenced to life imprisonment, his first conviction in more than 100 cases. Ashraf was acquitted in that case.
Movement: Atiq was brought from Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad for the verdict and later brought back to Prayagraj again for questioning in the murder case.
Umesh Pal and two police guards shot dead Killings
What happened: Lawyer Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was shot dead outside his home. Two police personnel assigned to protect him also died.
Accused: Atiq, Ashraf, members of Atiq’s family and associates were named in the conspiracy. Arbaaz and Usman, two of the accused, were killed in police encounters on 27 February and 6 March.
Raju Pal murder: the root of the case Background
What happened: BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead months after winning the Allahabad West seat by defeating Ashraf in a 2004 by-election. Atiq and Ashraf were prime accused.
Why it matters: Umesh Pal was a witness in this case, which links the 2005 killing, the 2006 kidnapping, the 2023 Umesh Pal murder and the brothers’ presence in Prayagraj in April 2023.
The Ten Days After the Shooting
Who Are the Three Accused?
Prosecution allegations, not findings of guilt.
| Accused | From | Age in 2023 | Alleged role in the chargesheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavlesh Tiwari | Banda, UP | 22 | One of the three alleged shooters |
| Sunny Singh (Mohit Singh alias Shani) | Hamirpur, UP | 23 | Alleged mastermind who instigated the other two |
| Arun Maurya | Kasganj, UP | 18 | One of the three alleged shooters |
Alleged motive. According to the FIR and the chargesheet, the three had past criminal records, no personal enmity with the brothers, and wanted to make a name in the criminal world by finishing their gang. The SIT said they planned it themselves without outside help.
Alleged weapons trail. Police reported Turkish-made Zigana and Girsan pistols and a country-made pistol. The chargesheet alleged that the sophisticated pistols had been given to Sunny Singh by Delhi gangster Jitendra Mann alias Gogi for use against his rival Tillu Tajpuria. These claims are the police version and have not been tested in a verdict.
Custody. The accused were held at Naini Central Jail, moved to Pratapgarh district jail on 17 April 2023 over threats to them, and were in Chitrakoot district jail by April 2024.
What the SIT Investigation Found
The three-member SIT under ADCP (crime) Satish Chandra filed its chargesheet before Chief Judicial Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Gautam on 13 July 2023. Along with the 2,000-page case diary, it placed on record post-mortem reports, photographs, a crime-scene map, a reconstruction of the crime and a ballistic report. The charges included murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy under the IPC, and offences under the Arms Act. The FIR had also invoked cheating by impersonation and forgery, reflecting the alleged fake press identity.
No lawyer appeared for the accused when the chargesheet was filed. The CJM took cognisance and sent the case to the sessions court, because murder is triable only by a court of session.
What the Judicial Inquiry Concluded
The killing “cannot be said to be the result of a pre-planned conspiracy executed by the State Police”. This addresses the police, not whether anyone else helped the attackers.
No negligence in moving Atiq from Sabarmati jail to Naini jail on two occasions, or in taking the brothers between jail, court and hospital. It found no laxity by the 21 personnel on duty.
The attackers were hidden among many media persons doing live coverage, and opened fire suddenly. The panel said police could not have prevented it.
Continuous live coverage of the brothers’ movements kept the attackers informed, so they did not need to scout the location.
No live telecasts revealing movements of accused persons or police; no briefings on investigative steps; no talk shows that may hamper a live investigation; media kept away from accused persons.
It is not a criminal judgment. It does not convict or acquit the three accused, and it does not replace the evidence the trial court must weigh.
“The incident … was not the result of police negligence nor was it possible for them to avoid the incident.”
Bhosale commission report, tabled in the UP Assembly, 1 August 2024
The commission’s membership. It began on 16 April 2023 as a three-member panel under retired Allahabad High Court judge Arvind Kumar Tripathi, with retired judge Brijesh Kumar Soni and former DGP Subesh Kumar Singh. On 25 April 2023 the state expanded it to five, under former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale, with former Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Virender Singh as vice-chairman.
A point of tension. Four police officers, including the Shahganj station officer, were suspended for negligence on 19 April 2023 after SIT questioning. The commission later found no negligence in the escort. The two are different exercises: an internal disciplinary action taken days after the event, and a full inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act.
Why the Killings Became a National Issue
- Police custody: the state is responsible for the safety of people it holds, whatever their record.
- Public setting: the attack happened at a hospital entrance in front of police and media.
- Live footage: the shooting was broadcast, which shaped public debate within minutes.
- Encounters: it came two days after Asad’s killing in an encounter, and fed a Supreme Court PIL on encounter killings in UP.
- Media access: the commission’s findings put the spotlight on how close cameras get to accused persons.
- Due process: a commission’s clean chit and a chargesheet both stop short of a trial verdict.
✅ On record
- Three men arrested at the scene, 15 April 2023.
- Chargesheet filed, 13 July 2023.
- Charges framed, 29 April 2024.
- Commission report tabled, 1 August 2024.
❓ Undecided or unverified
- Whether the three accused are guilty.
- The SIT’s alleged motive and weapons trail.
- Whether anyone outside the three helped them.
- The current stage of the trial.
Key People and Institutions
| Person / institution | Role |
|---|---|
| Atiq Ahmed | Former Phulpur MP and five-time Allahabad West MLA; killed 15 April 2023 |
| Khalid Azim alias Ashraf | His younger brother, former Allahabad West MLA; killed 15 April 2023 |
| Umesh Pal | Witness in the Raju Pal murder; killed 24 February 2023 |
| Asad Ahmad | Atiq’s son; killed in a police encounter in Jhansi, 13 April 2023 |
| Justice Dilip B. Bhosale | Chair of the five-member judicial commission |
| Satish Chandra | ADCP (crime), head of the SIT |
| Dinesh Kumar Gautam | CJM, Prayagraj, who took cognisance of the chargesheet in July 2023 |
| Vishal Tiwari | Advocate whose Supreme Court PIL sought an independent probe |
| Aisha Noori | Atiq’s sister; petitioned the Supreme Court for a court-monitored probe |
Legal Terms Explained
- Commission of inquiry: a fact-finding body set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. Its report is not binding as a court judgment.
- SIT: a Special Investigation Team set up for one case.
- Chargesheet: the police report at the end of an investigation, under Section 173 of the CrPC, setting out offences, evidence and witnesses.
- Cognisance: a magistrate formally taking notice of an offence so that proceedings can begin.
- Committal: sending a case triable only by a sessions court, such as murder, to that court.
- Framing of charges: the court’s formal statement of what the accused will be tried for. It is not a finding of guilt.
- Police custody remand: a court order letting police hold and question an accused for a fixed period.
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Checked against The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, Times of India, India Today, ThePrint, PTI and court reporting.
⚠️ Editorial Note and Legal Status
Lavlesh Tiwari, Sunny Singh and Arun Maurya are described as accused because no court verdict establishing guilt had been reported as of 9 November 2026. The alleged motive, mastermind role and weapons trail are attributed to the police FIR and SIT chargesheet. The judicial commission’s findings concern police conduct; they do not prove or disprove the wider circumstances of the killings and are not an acquittal or conviction. Corrections to the brief this page began from: charges were framed on Monday 29 April 2024, not 1 May (the date of the newspaper report); the commission started with three members on 16 April 2023 and was expanded to five under Justice Bhosale on 25 April 2023; and reports differ on whether the FIR was registered on 16 or 17 April 2023. We could not trace a public record of the trial’s progress after May 2024.
Related Reading on AiTimeline
Sources & further reading
Every dated entry above was checked against these references. Last reviewed 9 November 2026.
- The Indian Express: Inquiry commission on killing of Atiq Ahmed, brother gives clean chit to police (1 August 2024)
- Hindustan Times: Judicial panel finds no police laxity in Atiq, Ashraf killings (2 August 2024)
- PTI via Siasat: Atiq-Ashraf judicial panel rules out pre-planned conspiracy, gives police clean chit (2 August 2024)
- Times of India: Court frames charges against three killers of Atiq, brother (1 May 2024)
- Hindustan Times: SIT files 2,056-page charge sheet against three shooters (13 July 2023)
- The Indian Express: 'Hamirpur youth mastermind of crime', SIT files chargesheet in Atiq, Ashraf murder case (14 July 2023)
- The Indian Express: No fault on part of police in killing of Atiq, Ashraf, UP govt tells SC (1 October 2023)
- LawStreet Journal: Atiq's killing, Judicial Inquiry Commission's term extended, UP govt tells SC (3 July 2023)
- The Tribune (ANI): Atiq-Ashraf killing, Shahganj SHO among 4 cops suspended after SIT questioning (19 April 2023)
- India Today: 3-member judicial commission to probe killing of Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf (16 April 2023)
- ThePrint: Assailants wanted to 'make name in UP by wiping out Atiq-Ashraf gang', says FIR (16 April 2023)
- IANS via Siasat: A year after Atiq's killing, motive remains unclear (15 April 2024)