Two former DGPs defend Atiq Ahmed’s depiction in Dhurandhar 2, confirm that the mafia don received weapons from Pakistan and had links with ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba

Two senior retired police officers — former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh and former Jammu & Kashmir DGP S.P. Vaid — have strongly defended the depiction of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed in the recently released film Dhurandhar: The Revenge, saying the movie accurately reflects his criminal network and alleged links to Pakistan’s ISI.

The movie, which has been called a propaganda movie by Islamists and left-liberals, has sparked a fresh controversy by depicting that Atiq Ahmed was involved in a conspiracy to form a “Pakistan-backed government” in Uttar Pradesh with the support of Pakistan’s ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The gangster with over 150 cases registered against him in murder, kidnapping, extortion, land grabbing, and terrorism cases was a five-time MLA and an MP. He continued to run his criminal empire from prison after his arrest, before he was murdered on April 15, 2023, in police custody in the Prayagraj court premises.

Speaking in Lucknow, former DGP Vikram Singh addressed the film’s portrayal of Atiq Ahmed’s direct connection to the ISI. “There should be no doubt about this. When Atiq Ahmed was alive, his gang was listed as IS-277 (Interstate-277). In his confessional statements, he admitted that weapons — including .45 calibre pistols, AK-47s, and RDX — were brought to him via drones from Pakistan and reached Punjab. Through his contacts, he also had connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba and the ISI,” Singh said.

The former DGP added that when Atiq’s house was searched, bullets and cartridges made in Pakistan’s ordnance factories were recovered. He said, “If someone is supporting Atiq even after this, they should be ashamed of themselves.”

In Jammu, former J&K DGP S.P. Vaid echoed the view while responding to critics of the film. “The truth is harsh. When movies were made with Dawood Ibrahim’s money, it was ok, now that movies are being made on Dawood Ibrahim, people are feeling pain, because truth is always bitter. On the question of Atiq Ahmed, he was a gangster. He was an MP but was also a gangster. The whole world knows that he received illegal weapons, and his links with Pakistan are known to the world. What has been shown is based on the truth. Our own leaders were involved in fake currency racket,” Vaid told reporters.

The film has triggered a political row after depicting Atiq Ahmed as having deep ties with Pakistani intelligence and terror outfits. Some opposition leaders and Atiq’s family have called the portrayal “propaganda” and “illogical,” arguing it unfairly links him to the ISI.

However, the two veteran officers, who served in states where Atiq operated and where cross-border terror networks were monitored, insisted the cinematic account aligns with police records and intelligence inputs from his lifetime.

Notably, as per the Uttar Pradesh Police chargesheet, Atiq himself admitted that he had direct links with Pakistan’s ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba. He received weapons delivered by drones along the Punjab border, which were then delivered to terrorists and used by his own gang. Atiq’s network was involved in the illegal trade of counterfeit currency, weapons, and drugs, which was part of Pakistan-sponsored terror financing.

The statements by Singh and Vaid come amid widespread debate over Dhurandhar 2, which has been praised by for its raw depiction of organised crime and national security threats, while facing criticism from left-liberals and Islamists who see it as politically motivated.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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