Umesh Pal murder case: Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad's lawyer Khan Shoulat Hanif has been booked for criminal conspiracy in the Umesh Pal murder case, an official said on Saturday. The Uttar Pradesh Police has booked Hanif under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Dhoomanganj police station.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Police Hanif shared pictures of Umesh Pal with Atiq Ahmad's son Asad, who was killed in a police encounter in Jhansi on April 13. Notably, among the five sons, Asad was the third one son of the gangster.
Atiq Ahmad's lawyer shared Umesh Pal’s pictures with Asad
Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Deepak Bhukar told news agency PTI, “Hanif's name was added under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code to the FIR registered at Dhoomanganj police station in the Umesh Pal murder case.” "We came to know that Hanif shared pictures of Umesh Pal with Ahmad's son Asad days before he was attacked," Bhukar added.
Sources said the police might soon file a remand application in court to interrogate Hanif, who is currently lodged in Naini Central Prison after being sentenced to life imprisonment in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case.
Umesh Pal murder case
Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two police security guards were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj area on February 24 this year. On February 25, the police registered a case against Ahmad, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine other accomplices at Dhoomanganj police station.
A special court here on March 28 convicted Ahmad, Hanif and Dinesh Pasi and sentenced them to life in prison in the 17-year-old kidnapping case. Hanif and Pasi were detained in Naini Central Prison while Ahmad was sent to Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.
Atiq-Ashraf killing
Mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were killed in Prayagraj on April 15 night. The incident occurred when they were being escorted by police to a medical college in the districtin connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. Three men carried out the attack on the gangsters while posing as media persons. They were identified as Lavlesh Tiwari (22) of Banda, Mohit alias Sunny (23) of Hamirpur and Arun Maurya (18) of Kasganj. They all allegedly had criminal backgrounds.
(With PTI inputs)
