Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed gets life sentence in 2006 abduction case, his first conviction in over four decades

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 28 : Uttar Pradesh's mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed was on Tuesday convicted by an MP-MLA court here and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment in the abduction case of now-deceased Umesh Pal.

This is the first time that Atiq Ahmed, who has over 100 cases against him over the last 43 years, has been convicted in a case.

Apart from Atiq Ahmed, the court gave life sentences to Dinesh Pasi and Khan Saulat Hf and also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of the three convicts. Seven other accused in the case, including Ashraf, brother of Atiq Ahmed, have been acquitted.

Ahmed's conviction 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. Apart from Umesh Pal, his two security personnel were also shot dead.

Ahmed, a former MP and MLA, 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.

Shanti Devi, the mother of Umesh Pal, said after the court's verdict that Ahmed should have been given a death sentence for "killing" her son.

"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," she told reporters.

"My son fought like a tiger. His case was almost over. He was hopeful that the verdict would be in his favour and that Atiq Ahmed would be punished. He got my son killed. It has been 18 years since my son was kidnapped. He was a fighter. I have faith in the court. Atiq Ahmed is an old criminal. He can do anything with the power of money," she added.

Jaya Devi, the widow of Umesh Pal, also said that he should be given a death sentence.

"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," she said.

"I will carry forward the fight that my husband was fighting because I want justice and not terror. I want his terror to end. I am scared (of attacks on the family)... They can do anything from inside the jail," she added.

BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered on January 25, 2005. Two others Devilal Pal and Sandeep Yadav were also killed.

Umesh Pal was abducted on February 28, 2006. He was allegedly abducted by Atiq Ahmed from a Land Cruiser vehicle near Phansi Imli of the Dhumanganj police station area.

He was "beaten up and electrocuted" and Atiq had "forced Umesh Pal to 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 at Dhumanganj police station in July 2007 after the formation of the BSP government in Uttar Pradesh that year.

Police named Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed, Saulat Hf, Javed, Farhan, Israr, Abid Pradhan, Ashiq Malli and Ejaz Akhtar as accused in the case. While Ansar Ahmed died, Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf and Farhan are in jail and the rest of the accused were granted bail.

In 2009, the court framed the charge against the accused and the trial began.

In 2016, 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 registered at the Colonelganj police station and the accused had made applications to stop the trial of the case.

Umesh Pal filed an application in the High Court demanding an early decision in 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 eight witnesses and the defence produced 50 witnesses. Umesh Pal was murdered while returning after defending the case.

An Uttar Pradesh government release said that Ahmed, who was never punished in any case in the last 43 years despite hundred cases being registered against him, was finally given life imprisonment on Tuesday, in what could serve as an example for the whole country.

"What could not be done in 43 years in Uttar Pradesh has finally been done during the government of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Awarded rigorous life imprisonment by the MP-MLA court in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case," it said.

Ahmed has been involved in several serious cases, including murder, kidnapping, rioting, extortion, loot, dacoity and illegal land grabbing.

The release said Yogi government has shown the mafia its "right place" and the punishment is an "example" for the whole country.

"During Samajwadi Party's rule, the same Atiq Ahmed roamed around freely", the release said, adding that the common man felt concerned about the law and order situation.

It said things had reached such a position that mafia and gangsters "had a respectable community in the state".

"The people of the country and the state have also seen that when there is better coordination between the prosecution and the police...no matter how big a criminal is, he cannot escape the legal dragnet. There was a time in the Samajwadi Party government when cases against this mafia were withdrawn. SP leaders were accused of sharing the stage with Atiq Ahmed on public forums, who also used to contest elections on their party's symbol. Atiq Ahmed had become an example of the nexus between politicians and the mafia," the release said.

"It is the result of CM Yogi's zero-tolerance policy towards crimes and criminals that the impregnable fort of the mafia, once considered above law, has crumbled today, making the mafia and its supporters agitated and nervous," the release added.

A man, identified as Varun, on Tuesday waited outside the MP/MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj for hours holding a garland made of footwear, to "welcome" gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed.

The man, a lawyer, said that the footwear the garland is made of was once owned by the family of Umesh Pal.

"The entire Pal community and lawyer fraternity would be happy if I make Atiq Ahmed wear this garland of footwear," Varun told the media persons outside the MP/MLA court.

"He (Atiq Ahmed) killed a member of the lawyer community, and we all will be happy if he comes to hear the court's verdict wearing this garland of footwear. These are the footwear of family members of Umesh Pal and Raju Pal," he added.

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