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Sentence Atiq to death for son’s murder also: Mother of slain lawyer Umesh Pal
Special judge Dinesh Chandra Shukla said Atiq Ahmed got Umesh Pal abducted and compelled him to retract his testimony in the murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal in which he was a witness
PRAYAGRAJ: The family of lawyer Umesh Pal on Tuesday welcomed the court verdict sentencing former Samajwadi Party MP from Phulpur, Atiq Ahmed, to a life term for Umesh’s abduction in 2006 and said he should also be quickly convicted for Umesh Pal’s murder on February 24 this year.
“Atiq can do anything in the days to come on the strength of money and muscle power, Umesh Pal’s mother Shanti Pal told reporters after an MP-MLA court in Prayagraj sentenced the gangster-politician and two others, Dinesh Pasi and Khan Saulat Haneef, to rigorous life imprisonment after holding them guilty in the 2006 kidnapping case of lawyer Umesh Pal.
Special judge Dinesh Chandra Shukla said the accused got Umesh Pal abducted and compelled him to retract his testimony in the murder case of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal in which he was a witness. Umesh Pal was the prime witness in the 2005 murder case.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf were accused in all the three cases — Raju Pal murder in 2005, Umesh Pal’s abduction in 2006 and Umesh Pal’s murder in 2023.
Umesh Pal was killed after attending court proceedings in the abduction case on February 24 when he alleged that Atiq Ahmed’s henchmen kidnapped him on February 28, 2006 on his intstructions. He had also alleged that Atiq Ahmed thrashed him and wanted him to retract his testimony in the Raju Pal murder case.
Umesh Pal’s mother Shanti Pal said her son kept fighting like a lion till his last breath.
“When he (Atiq Ahmed) felt that he would not be able to get away, he got my son murdered after 17 years of kidnapping and assault. I am happy with the judgment in the kidnapping case of my son,” she said.
Shanti Pal added that the court should sentence Atiq Ahmed to death for the murder of her son who along with two of his police guards was killed on February 24 this year.
Umesh’s wife Jaya Pal said she welcomed the court order but Atiq Ahmed’s terror will continue till Atiq and his brother Ashraf were “finished”.
“I will continue the fight of my husband against Atiq as I want justice and not terror as anyone can fall victim to this terror tomorrow. I still fear for the lives of my family members as Atiq can do anything from behind the bars as well. I respect the decision of the judiciary but I request UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to wipe out Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf by ensuring their hanging so that his terror can also be stopped,” she added.
