The criminal activities of gangster-turned-politician Atique Ahmed, who is currently lodged in Ahmedabad jail, have again come to light after the sensational assassination of a witness Umesh Pal in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case.
The witness, Umesh Pal, and his police security guard Sandeep Nishad were shot dead on February 24 outside his home in the Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj and Atique Ahmed has been named as an accused. Another security personnel Raghvendra Singh, who was injured in the attack, was admitted to SRN Hospital in critical condition and was referred to Lucknow on Sunday.
Following the killing, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has vowed to destroy the mafias after the opposition Samajwadi Party had questioned the law and order situation in the state.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Police gunned down one of the accused, Arbaaz, in an encounter. Police claimed that they retaliated when the accused opened fire at them. A police officer was injured during the encounter.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Navendu Kumar said that Arbaaz, who was the driver of the white SUV used by the assailants to attack witness Umesh Pal, was surrounded by police teams following an intelligence input. He opened fire at the police and was injured in the ensuing encounter in Nehru Park under Dhoomanganj police station at around 3 pm, Kumar said. He was taken to hospital where doctors declared him dead, the officer said.
Who is Atique Ahmed?
Former SP MP Atique Ahmed has over 100 criminal cases lodged against him including the latest in connection with Umesh Pal’s murder. He is presently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad in Gujarat since 2019.
Atique’s criminal story began in 1979 when he was named as an accused in a murder case. Ten years later, he stepped into politics and won the Allahabad West assembly seat as an Independent in elections in 1989, 1991 and 1993. He contested the 1996 elections from the seat on the Samajwadi Party ticket and emerged victorious.
In 1999, he joined the Apna Dal (AD) and lost the Pratapgarh seat. He again won the Allahabad West seat in the 2002 Assembly elections on the Apna Dal ticket. In 2003, Atique returned to the SP fold and in 2004, he won from the Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency — the seat once held by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He was named as an accused in Raju Pal’s killing in 2005.
In the 2012 Assembly elections, Ateeq again tried his luck with Apna Dal from the same seat but lost to BSP’s Puja Pal by a margin of 8,885 votes. He also contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 from Shravasti on an SP ticket but lost.
In 2019, while he was still in jail, Ateeq filed a nomination from the Varanasi constituency against Prime Minister Narendra Modi but managed to get only 855 votes.
In the sustained drive against gangsters under the Yogi Adityanath government, property worth over Rs 150 crore belonging to Ateeq and his family members under the Gangster Act, has been attached, IANS reported.
Meanwhile, Atique Ahmed moved the Supreme Court seeking its protection, claiming that he has been “roped in” as an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case and fears a threat to his life. He 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.
Who is Umesh Pal?
Umesh Pal is a key witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal who was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj in broad daylight on February 24.
On the basis of a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station (in Prayagraj) against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Gulam and nine others.
The conspiracy to murder Umesh Pal was planned at Bareilly jail in Uttar Pradesh at the behest of infamous gangster Atiq Ahmed, India Today reported. Atiq Ahmed’s brother Ashraf, who is an accused in Raju Pal’s murder, is lodged at Bareilly jail.
Who is Raju Pal?
Raju Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj in January 2005 and the prime accused in the case was Ashraf Ahmad, brother of Ateeq Ahmad. Raju Pal’s widow Puja Pal is now Samajwadi Party MLA.
Raju won the by-poll for the Allahabad (West) state assembly seat in November 2004 by defeating Atique Ahmed’s younger brother Ashraf. In 2005, he was murdered while he was on to his village for the Republic Day parade.
Raju’s political rivalry with the gangster goes way back to 2002 when he contested against Atique Ahmed in the 2002 assembly elections. Raju failed to win but got a chance to contest the seat again after Atique resigned following his election to Lok Sabha in 2004. In by-polls held following Raju’s murder, his wife Puja Pal lost the seat to Ashraf.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
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