Both the minor sons of Atiq Ahmad, who were allegedly picked up by the police after the killing of Umesh Pal on February 24, are in a child protection home at Khuldabad, police department informed the court of the chief judicial magistrate on Saturday.
Earlier, Ahmed's wife, BSP leader Shaista Parveen, filed a plea before Allahabad District Court claiming that her two sons were taken away by the police. She said there has been no update on them ever since.
"Due to lack of a clear explanation in the application filed by Shaista Parveen with the Chief Magistrate in relation to the two minor sons of Atiq Ahmed, a date has been put on March 13. Along with this, a clear explanation was sought," they said.
It is notable that Atiq Ahmed and his family came under the scanner in the Umesh Pal murder case.
Umesh Pal and one of his two armed security escorts were shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area on February 24. Several rounds were fired and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners.
Ahmed, who is the main accused in the 2005 murder case, is lodged in Gujarat jail. He was recently booked in connection with the killing of Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.
Two accused named Arbaaz and Vijay Chowdhary alias Usman were killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police on February 27 and March 6 respectively.
Prayagraj Police conducted a raid at Atiq Ahmed's residence in the Mahanagar area of Lucknow, seizing two luxury cars from the Universal Apartments.
The raids were conducted on February 27 late at night, sources said, adding that the action followed a shootout in which the prime witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, advocate Umesh Pal, was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24.
The police conducted the raid after receiving input that some shooters had taken shelter in that apartment. However, they had left the place before the raid, police sources said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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