Umesh Pal Murder: Atique Ahmed Moves SC Seeking Protection of Life; UP Min's 'Car May Overturn' Warning to Mafias

Bulldozers were brought to raze the illegal property of Khalid Zafar, an aide of jailed former Samajwadi Party leader Atique Ahmed, in Prayagraj on Wednesday. Police also arrested Ruby, the wife of ex-MLA Ashraf Ahmed, in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. Ashraf is the brother of gangster-turned-politician Atique, who moved the Supreme Court seeking its protection and claimed that he has been “roped in” as an accused in the case and fears a threat to his life.

Currently lodged in the Ahmedabad Central Jail, Ahmed has also sought directions to ensure that no physical or bodily injury or harm is done to him in any manner during police custody or interrogation. He has also sought a direction restraining the state of Uttar Pradesh and others from taking him from the Central Jail in Ahmedabad to Prayagraj or any other part of Uttar Pradesh.

Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj in broad daylight on February 24.

Atique is the prime accused in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal and is accused of hatching a murder conspiracy from inside Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail, where he is currently lodged.

Atique’s brother, jailed former MLA Ashraf Ahmed, also accused in the murder case, has petitioned a court against being moved out of the Bareilly prison premises for a court hearing or for jail transfer for fear of being killed, reported India Today on Tuesday.

UP Minister JPS Rathore Gives ‘Car Can Overturn’ Warning to Mafias

UP Minister JPS Rathore, in a warning of sorts to ‘mafias’, said that the state police has begun a crackdown on mafias adding that they will be nabbed even from the underworld. “When they are caught, they must not get worked up in the car. What if the car overturns after driver loses balance,” Rathore said.

UP Police in Action

Atique Ahmed’s aide Khalid Zafar’s illegal property was demolished on Wednesday. This property, under radar now, had been issued notice in the past for being illegal and without approval from the Prayagraj development authority.

Prayagraj police and STF personnel raided the residential premises of gangster Atiq Ahmed in Universal apartments, Lucknow. Two cars have been seized and the flat has been sealed.

The police on Monday shot dead one of the assailants, Arbaaz, in an encounter in Prayagraj. Deputy Commissioner of Police Navendu Kumar told PTI that Arbaaz, who was the driver of the white SUV used by the assailants to attack Pal, was surrounded by police teams following an intelligence input, and that he was shot in retaliation after he opened fire on the police.

On Tuesday, two more shooters were identified from CCTV footage. One accused is Mohd Ghulam, brother of Mahanagar District President of BJP Minority Front Rahil Hasan. The police detained Rahil Hasan as Mohd Ghulam is absconding.

Meanwhile, another accused was detained on Tuesday. Sadaqat Khan has been named as one of the key conspirators in the murder. He is a practising lawyer who was staying at Allahabad University hostel. After viral photos of Khan with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav emerged on Tuesday, the SP leader responded in the UP assembly.  “A picture can be clicked with anyone and only half truth is shown in the narratives flown across,” he said.

Atique’s son, Asad’s involvement is also being probed after a CCTV footage showed him as one of the four assailants involved in the crime. The CCTV footage of the crime shows the involvement of 6 to 7 men. Two cars and a bike were used by the assailants to attack Umesh Pal, who was an advocate by profession. The gunner provided to Umesh was also injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tore into the Samajwadi Party and vowed to destroy the mafias after the SP had questioned the law and order situation in the state in wake of the killing.

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