UP court sentences Atiq Ahmed for life in Umesh Pal abduction case

PRAYAGRAJ : An MP-MLA court in Prayagraj on Tuesday sentenced mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to rigorous life imprisonment in the Umesh Pal abduction case.

The Court pronounced life sentences to Atiq Ahmed, Dinesh Pasi and Khan Saulat Hanif in the case and has also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of the three.

All the other seven accused in the case, including Ashraf, the brother of Atiq Ahmed 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: Shanti Devi, mother of Umesh Pal said 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 the society,"

Atiq Ahmed, a former MP and MLA, who has over 100 cases registered against him, was brought by Uttar Pradesh police from Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj's Naini jail on Monday after an over 24-hour long drive from Gujarat.

Ahmed's conviction today comes after Umesh Pal an advocate and a prime witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 this year.

Ahmed is also the main accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two security personnel were shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 this year.

On 25 January 2005, BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered. Two others 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 favor 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 had 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 were out on bail.

In 2009, the court framed charge on the accused and the trial of the case began.

In 2016, in this case, an attempt was made to throw Umesh Pal from the fourth floor of the court premises to make him withdraw the case An FIR was been registered in this matter at the Colonelganj police station. Various applications were filed on behalf of the accused to stop the trial of the case.

Umesh Pal filed an application in the High Court demanding early settlement of the case. Allahabad High Court ordered to complete the hearing of the case in two months by March 16, 2023.

During the trial, the prosecution produced 8 witnesses and the defence produced 50 witnesses. Umesh Pal was murdered on February 24 after returning from defending this case.

In the Umesh Pal kidnapping case, an FIR has been registered in the Dhumanganj police station under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 364 A, 341, 342, 504, 506, 120 B and 7 CLA Act.