UP police reaches Sabarmati Central Jail to bring Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj

Atiq Ahmed had apprehended that Uttar Pradesh police may kill him in a fake encounter. He had moved Supreme Court claiming that UP police may seek transit remand to shift him from Ahmedabad to Pryagraj and kill him during his transit period.

Ahmedabad:Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday reached Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad to bring mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, who has been lodged here since June 2019, to UP's Prayagraj. Atiq is the main accused in the 2005 murder case of the then BSP MLA Raju Pal and a key accused of the Umesh Pal murder case. A team of UP's Prayagraj police reached Sabarmati Central Jail in two police vehicles and is currently completing the official process for shifting Atiq.

Police will take Atiq for hearing in connection with a 2007 case of kidnapping, riot and extortion, that will be held on March 29 in a court of UP. Earlier this month, Atiq had moved Supreme Court claiming that UP police may seek transit remand to shift him from Ahmedabad to Pryagraj and kill him in a fake encounter during his transit period. He had also told the court that he and his family members were falsely implicated in the Umesh Pal murder case.

On February 24, lawyer Umesh Pal, a witness to the Raju Pal murder case was killed in broad daylight outside his home in Sulemsarai area. His security guard was also killed in the shootout. On the basis of the complaint of Jaya Pal, Umesh Pal's wife, police registered a case against Atiq, his brother Ashraf, his wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Gulam and nine others. Police announced a cumulative award of Rs 25.25 lakh on Shaista and five shooters.

Till now, two accused Arbaaz Kaushambi and Vijay Chaudhury alias Usman, each carried Rs 50,000 awards, were killed in police encounter on February 27 and March 6.