Prayagraj, May 24 (IANS): Trouble is now unfolding for Vijay Mishra, the lawyer of slain gangster politician Atiq Ahmad.

Vijay Mishra has been booked by the Prayagraj police on charges of seeking Rs 3 crore extortion from a trader dealing in plywood and mica in the city.

Atiq's another lawyer, Khan Saulat Hanif, is already in jail after being awarded life imprisonment along with the don in the Umesh Pal abduction case.

Police said that one Mohd Syed, a resident of Dariyabad who runs a plywood and mica shop in the Mutthiganj area of the city, has lodged an FIR with the Attarsuiya police against Vijay Mishra under sections 386 (committing extortion by putting any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt to that person or to any other), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) for seeking Rs 3 crore extortion and threatening him with dire consequences.

In the FIR, Syed stated that Mishra had purchased plywood and mica worth Rs 1. 20 lakhs from his shop on January 5 with the assurance that he would pay the dues from time to time. He also claimed that Mishra paid some dues and on April 17, when one of his employees Shekhar called him (advocate) and asked to clear the pending dues, Mishra started threatening the employee of dire consequences on phone.

Shekhar then informed his employer and other workers about the matter.

Syed further claimed that Mishra, on April 20, called him up and sought Rs 3 crore extortion in the name of Atiq and his henchmen, and threatened him with dire consequences. Syed told the police that he had recorded the call on his mobile.

Interestingly, Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead on April 15 in Prayagraj and Mishra has been accused of making the extortion call five days after their death.