Umesh Pal murder case: Slain gangster Ashraf’s wife moves Allahabad HC

In the writ petition, Zainab Fatima has requested the court to stay her arrest in the murder case and also quash the FIR lodged in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case

Zainab Fatima, the wife of slain gangster Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf (the brother of another slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed), has filed a writ petition before the Allahabad high court challenging the first information report (FIR) lodged in connection with the February 24 Umesh Pal murder case.

Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 Raju Pal murder case, and his two police guards were shot dead outside Umesh Pal’s home in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj on February 24 earlier this year. (For Representation)

The case is likely to be listed before the court for hearing next week. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by three assailants in full public view while they were being taken for a medical check-up at a hospital in Prayagraj on April 15 earlier this year.

In the writ petition, Zainab Fatima has requested the court to stay her arrest in the murder case and also quash the FIR lodged in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. It is presumed that Zainab got this petition filed through her sister to evade her arrest in the Umesh Pal murder case as her name also cropped up as accused during the course of investigation. She is wanted in the case.

Zainab had allegedly helped the shooters escape from Sangam city after the crime in which Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 Raju Pal murder case, and his two police guards were shot dead outside Umesh Pal’s home in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj on February 24 earlier this year. At present, she is absconding and her whereabouts are not known.

On a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a criminal case was registered with Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, Atiq’s two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and nine others.