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Umesh Pal murder: BJP, SP get into Twitter spat over ‘conspirator’s’ background
Twitter abuzz with undated pictures of Sadaqat purportedly with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and the husband of a former BJP MLA
The ruling BJP and the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) found themselves in a picture war of sorts over the background of one Sadaqat Khan, said to be the key conspirator in the Umesh Pal murder case.
Twitter was abuzz with an undated picture of Sadaqat purportedly with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, which was widely shared by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and supporters. SP leaders also shared a picture in which Khan can be seen alongside former BJP MLA Neelam Karwariya’s husband Udaybhan Karwariya. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of both undated pictures.
Responding to the viral image of Sadaqat and Akhilesh, Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Brajesh Pathak told newspersons: “It goes to show the true face of the Samajwadi Party. It is a party that is always involved in incentivising and patronising criminals and mafia. The SP runs a nursery of criminals.”
Akhilesh responded to the BJP’s allegations: “It’s the era of social media and photos of people often get viral. Anyone can get their photo clicked with a public personality.”
The other picture, tweeted by SP national spokesperson Ameeque Jamei, shows him with Uday Bhan, as stated by Jamei.
“Sadaqat, who is being linked with the SP, was still a member of the BJP. His photo with Neelam’s husband, Udaybhan Karwariya, at her residence house shows the connection of this incident with the BJP. Also, a BJP leader, Rahil, a mastermind in this case, has been caught,” Jamei tweeted in Hindi.
The SP’s official Twitter handle also shared the picture of Sadaqat with Udhaybhan.
Congress, meanwhile, took the occasion to attack both parties. Giving his reaction on the ‘photo war’, UP Congress, on its official Twitter handle, wrote: “BJP or SP, both are two sides of the same coin when it comes to nurturing criminals.”
Umesh Pal and one of his armed security escorts were shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 when he was returning home from court. He was a key witness in the 2005 murder of former BSP leader Raju Pal and had a previous rivalry with former MP Atiq Ahmad, who, along with his wife, son and associates, were named in the FIR registered in connection with the murder.
