Saddam, member of Atiq Ahmed gang, lodged in high-security barrack in Bareilly Central Jail

Saddam is a wanted criminal of the Atiq Ahmed gang and was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head. After being arrested by UP STF from Delhi on Thursday, he has been confined at a high-security barrack in Bareilly Central Jail. A policeman has been posted to keep a check on him.

Bareilly: Saddam, brother-in-law of Ashraf Ahmed, Atiq's brother, who was arrested on Thursday, has been lodged in a high-security barrack in Bareilly Central Jail. A policeman has been deployed to monitor him. Saddam had requested the jail administration to shift him from the high-security barrack to a general barrack but his request was turned down.

Saddam, an associate of the Atiq Ahmed gang was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) from Delhi and was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head. During Ashraf Ahmed's imprisonment at Bareilly Jail for two and a half years, Saddam helped in arranging meetings between him and other people.

He is considered to be a trusted member of the gang and accused of conspiring in murdering an officer. A case in this regard was also registered on March 7 by the jail outpost in-charge at Bareilly's Bithri Chainpur police station. Since then, Saddam has been absconding.

According to police, in order to prevent getting arrested, Saddam kept changing his residence in Delhi, Mumbai and Karnataka. Police were in a lookout from him. Acting on a tip off, police arrested Saddam when he had gone to meet his girlfriend in Delhi's Malviya Nagar. Two mobile phones and a car were recovered from him.

After arresting him, the STF produced him before Bareilly District Court and he was sent to Bareilly Central Jail 2. Jail Superintendent of Bareilly Central Jail Vipin Mishra said that Saddam has been kept in the high-security barrack at the jail. "For ensuring security, a policeman has also been posted to keep a check on him. The jail authorities refused to shift him from the high-security barrack to the general barrack that he had asked," Mishra said.

Mishra further said that if he moves out of the barrack then a jailer or a deputy jailer will accompany him. If none of them are present, then he himself will keep a check on his movements. He said that Saddam has given names of 10 friends or relatives who would be allowed to meet him following verification. A record will be maintained of all those who meet him during his period in jail.