Prayagraj, March 28 (UNI) A special MP-MLA court on Tuesday sentenced mafia-turned-politician Atique Ahmed and two others to rigorous life imprisonment and penalty of Rs 1 lakh each in kidnapping of Umesh Pal, the main witness in Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, a prosecution counsel here.
The court acquitted seven persons, including Atique's brother and former MLA Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf in the case due to lack of evidence.
Government Counsel Gulab Chandra Agrahari said that the court of Special Judge Dinesh Chandra Shukla held Atique, Dinesh Pasi and Khan Shaulat Haneef on charges of kidnapping and criminal conspiracy. "The court sentenced the trio to life imprisonment. Seven others accused, including Atique's brother Ashraf, were acquitted for lack of evidence," he said.
The court directed that the penalty imposed on the convicts would be given to the family of Umesh Pal, who was the complainant in the case and had been killed, as compensation.
It may be noted that Umesh Pal, the main witness in Raju Pal murder case, along with his two gunners was shot dead in front of his house in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj on February 24. Atique, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen and two sons are accused in the murder of Umesh Pal and his two gunners.
Earlier, Atique was brought to Naini Central jail from Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad in Gujarat amid tight security on Monday from where he was taken to the court.
It may be mentioned that the then BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead on January 25, 2005. Umesh Pal, who was the main witness, was threatened not to depose before the court and was kidnapped on February 28, 2006.
The government counsel said that 10 accused of the kidnapping case, including Atique and Ashraf, were produced before the court. While Atique was lodged in Sabarmati Jail from June 2019, his brother Ashraf was lodged in Bareilly Jail from July 2020.
Like Atique, Ashraf was also brought from Bareilly jail amid tight security.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that it is for the first time Atique has been convicted in a case. He said that the Uttar Pradesh Police will continue its crackdown against the mafias and criminals.
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