New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Friday asked Uttar Pradesh Government to file an affidavit mentioning the steps taken with respect to the death of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother, Ashraf Ahmed, and also the incidents prior to it.

The top court also asked Uttar Pradesh why the vehicle carrying Atiq and Ashraf was not taken to the hospital directly and why were they paraded.

A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta asked the UP government to file an affidavit and listed the matter after three weeks.

The court was hearing a petition seeking to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq and Ashraf amid police presence.

The court clarified that the UP government in its affidavit shall also mention the steps taken in pursuance of Justice Chauhan's report and disclose steps taken with respect to the incident just prior to the killing of Atiq and his brother.

Earlier Uttar Pradesh Government filed a caveat application in SC on a petition seeking to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq and Ashraf amid police presence.

A Caveat application is filed by a litigant to ensure that no adverse order is passed against them without being heard.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari, the petitioner in the matter, has sought to constitute an Independent Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of a former Supreme Court judge to inquire into the killing of Atiq and Ashraf amid police presence.

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Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead while they were taken to a hospital in Prayagraj on April 15 amid police presence.