Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) : The verdict in the 2007 Umesh Pal kidnapping case will be pronounced in the MP-MLA court today. The accused Mafia Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf are brought here to be produced before the court on this occasion. For this, Atiq has been brought from Sabarmati Jail on Monday itself, while Ashraf has been brought from Bareilly Jail to Prayagraj. Both are now lodged at Naini central jail here.
On January 25, 2005, BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered and Umesh Pal was an eyewitness in the case. Mafia don Atiq Ahmed asked Umesh Pal to withdraw as a witness from the case to which the latter disagreed. After this, on 28 February 2006, Umesh Pal was kidnapped and allegedly tortured to toe the line of the gangsters and change his testimony in court. An FIR was registered on July 5, 2007, in this abduction case.
Eleven people were mentioned as accused in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf have reached Naini Central Jail for appearing in court. Another accused named Farhan is already lodged in Naini Central Jail. At the same time, Atiq's lawyer Khan Soulat Hanif and the other accused are out on bail.
Apart from this, an accused named Ansar has died. Farhan will also be present along with Atiq and Ashraf when the verdict will be pronounced today. On Monday, 3 family members including Atiq Ahmed spent the night in Prayagraj's Naini Central Jail. This happened for the first time when 3 members of Atiq's family stayed together in one jail.
Mafia's younger brother and former MLA Khalid Azim alias Ashraf has been brought from Bareilly Jail to Naini Central Jail. While Atiq Ahmed's second son Ali Ahmed is already lodged in Naini Jail for several months. All three people, including Atiq Ahmed, have been kept in separate barracks. Atiq and Ashraf have been brought to Prayagraj one month and three days after the Umesh Pal murder case.
After receiving information that his father and uncle would be brought to Naini Central Jail, Ali asked the jail administration to allow him to meet his father, but he was not allowed to do so. Ali has also been sent to another barrack. Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf have also been kept in separate high-security barracks. Earlier, after the Raju Pal murder case, Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were put in Naini Central Jail for some time.
