Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed gets life term in 2007 Umesh Pal kidnapping case
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), March 28: The Prayagraj MP-MLA Court on Tuesday sentenced gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to life imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him in the 2006 kidnapping of lawyer Umesh Pal, main witness in the killing of BSP lawmaker Raju Pal. Umesh Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.
The court also convicted Atiq Ahmed, Dinesh Pasi and Khan Saulat Hanif in the case. However, all other seven accused, including the brother of Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf, have been acquitted.
"He (Atiq Ahmed) was sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping my son but he should be given a death sentence for killing my son. I have faith in UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the judicial system," said Shanti Devi, mother of Umesh Pal, after the court's verdict.
Jaya Devi, the widow of Umesh Pal said, "We are satisfied with the judgement as of now. Atiq Ahmed should be given a death sentence for killing my husband. We want justice and I request UP CM Yogi Adityanath to help us. If he and his brother will survive, it will be a problem for us and society."
Earlier in the day, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and three others have been guilty in the 2006 kidnapping of lawyer Umesh Pal, main witness in the killing of BSP lawmaker Raju Pal. Umesh Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.
Atiq Ahmed and former corporator Dinesh Pasi have been convicted of Section 364 A ( Kidnapping a person and the person being put in danger of being murdered ) of the IPC among others. Ahmad is also the prime accused in the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal, who was later shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.
The court had also held Atiq's brother Ashraf guilty in the case. The accused in the case were brought to the court amid tight security .
Atiq Ahmed, a five-time MLA and an accused in the case, was brought from Gujarat's Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj's Naini jail on Monday after an over 24-hour long drive from Gujarat.
The court had reserved the verdict on March 17 after the completion of the hearing. On January 25, 2005, BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered. Devilal Pal and Sandeep Yadav were also killed. Umesh Pal, the main witness in the Raju Pal murder case, was abducted on February 28, 2006.
Atiq Ahmed had allegedly abducted Umesh Pal from a Land Cruiser vehicle near Phansi Imli of the Dhumanganj police station area. Keeping him in his Chakia office, he was beaten up and electrocuted.
Atiq had made Umesh Pal give a written statement in his favour on March 1, 2006, that he was not present at the scene and did not want to testify.
Umesh Pal filed a case of kidnapping in Dhumanganj police station in July 2007 after the formation of the BSP government in Uttar Pradesh in 2007.
A case was registered against former MPs Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf, Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed alias Ansar Baba, Khan Soulat Hanif. Police has named Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed, Saulat Hanif, Javed, Farhan, Israr, Abid Pradhan, Ashiq Malli and Ejaz Akhtar as accused.
One of the accused Ansar Ahmed died. Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf and Farhan are in jail. The rest of the accused are out on bail.
In 2009, the court framed charge against the accused and the trial of the case began.
- ANI
