Prayagraj: A man, who is one of the accused of the Raju Pal murder case escaped before a special CBI court sentenced him to 4 years of jail and a fine of Rs 20,000, officials said on Sunday. The accused identified as Israr fled from his residence on Friday (March 29) in fear of getting arrested. The court in Lucknow on Friday convicted seven people including Israr in the killing of former BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005. Slain gangsters Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were also accused in the case but were murdered in Prayagraj last year.
Raju Pal, a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, was gunned down on January 25, 2005, as a result of political rivalry with Atiq Ahmad's brother Ashraf, whom he had defeated in the 2004 by-poll to the Prayagraj West seat. The BSP leader had lost the election to the seat to Atiq Ahmad in 2002 but when the latter vacated it after being elected to the Lok Sabha, Pal defeated Ashraf in the by-poll.
The court sentenced seven of the 10 accused, of which six were sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine, while the accused Israr who was accused of possessing the arms was sentenced to four years in prison and a fine of Rs 20,000. Official sources said that when the court pronounced the sentence, Israr was not present. They said that at least seven cases were registered against him including murder, attempt to murder and robbery.
After this, the CBI court sentenced him and issued a non-bailable warrant against him for not appearing in court. The Prayagraj Police have initiated a man-hunt against him. According to the police, during the interrogation, the family members of the absconded accused said that he had left the house on March 29. Israr’s son said that he left home in fear of going to jail.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) City Deepak Bhukar said that the court has issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) and the police have started a search to arrest the accused.
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