A few months ago, a female bank manager working at Bank of Baroda fell victim to a horrifying acid attack. She was stationed as the manager at the Syed Sarawa branch of Bank of Baroda, located in the Kaushambi district near Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. The attack was a result of her issuing a recovery notice against the village head (प्रधान) who had connections to the notorious Atiq Ahmed, a prominent figure in the local mafia. It is worth noting that Atiq Ahmed was killed in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) on April 15, 2023.
The case has been pending in court for an extended period, prompting the bank manager’s father to request an expeditious hearing. As a result, the sensational case, currently in the Kaushambi District Court, will now be transferred to the Allahabad District Court. This decision was made by Justice Ajay Bhanot of the Allahabad High Court after considering the transfer application filed by Raju Rai Sonkar, the bank manager’s father.
The incident took place in the Charwa police station area of the Kaushambi district. The bank manager’s daughter had issued a recovery notice against Azam, the former head (प्रधान) of Syed Sarawa, during her tenure as the manager at the Syed Sarawa branch of Bank of Baroda. Allegedly, out of anger towards the recovery notice, Azam, along with eight other associates, carried out a vicious acid attack on the bank manager on August 8, 2022, resulting in severe burns.
The bank manager’s family filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Azam and the eight others at the Charwa police station, charging them with attempted murder and violating the SC/ST Act. Following the investigation and subsequent filing of the charge sheet, the trial began. The government also took swift action and invoked the Gangster Act against all the accused individuals involved in the incident.
The bank manager’s lawyer, Sunil Chaudhary, argued that the accused was a member of the infamous Atiq Ahmed gang, with a long list of criminal cases against him. Despite being incarcerated at present, he remains a dangerous criminal. Since the denial of bail by the High Court, there has been pressure from the accused to coerce the plaintiff and witnesses into withdrawing the case, putting the victim’s life in grave danger.
To address these concerns, the Single Bench of the High Court has ordered the transfer of the pending case from the Kaushambi District Court to the Allahabad District Court. The next hearing for this case is scheduled for March 6th, where justice will continue to be pursued for the victim, ensuring that those responsible for this heinous crime are held accountable.