UP: Atiq Ahmed, his brother convicted in 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case

• Atiq was allegedly involved in the killing of Raju Pal, who was shot dead in 2005.
• Umesh Pal was gunned down outside his Prayagraj residence on February 24.
• Large crowds were seen outside the local court in Prayagraj

An MP/MLA court in Prayagraj has pronounced gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and three others guilty in the 2006 kidnapping of lawyer Umesh Pal, the main witness in the killing of Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Raju Pal. Umesh Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.

Atiq 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 IPC among others. A five-time MLA, Atiq was brought from Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj’s Naini jail on Monday after an over 24-hour long drive from Gujarat.

Atiq and his aides allegedly abducted him in 2006 and forced him to give a statement in court in their favour. Umesh Pal, a key witness in the former BSP MLA’s murder case, had got a police complaint registered in this regard and the case was going on.

On a complaint from Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya, a case was lodged at the Dhoomanganj police station in Prayagraj against Atiq, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others.

It may be recalled that after the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal on January 25, 2005, Umesh Pal, then a zila panchayat member, had told police that he was a witness to the murder.

Large crowds were seen outside the local court in Prayagraj where hearing of the Umesh Pal kidnapping case was scheduled.

In another development, the Supreme Court also dismissed Ahmad’s plea seeking protection during his custody with the UP Police. A bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi granted the don-turned-politician liberty to move the Allahabad high court for protection after he claimed his life is under threat, PTI reported.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM