The Prayagraj Police in Uttar Pradesh have doubled the cash reward on gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed’s wife Shaista Parveen, one of the accused in the February 24 murders of lawyer Umesh Pal and his two police guards, from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000, police officials confirmed.
Umesh Pal, a prime witness in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case in which Atiq and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf are prime accused, was attacked outside his residence in Dhoomanganj area of Prayagraj while returning home on February 24 evening. Shaista has been on the run right since the attack, they add.
“A reward of ₹25,000 was announced on Shaista Praveen on March 12, 2023 by DCP (city) Deepak Bhuker. A formal request was made to Prayagraj police commissioner Ramit Sharma for raising the reward to ₹50,000 which he sanctioned on Friday evening,” a senior police officer in the know of the move said.
Police Commissionerate Prayagraj confirmed about the reward on Shaista Parveen being raised to ₹50,000 with effect from April 7 on its official twitter handle @prayagraj_pol at 1.32pm on Saturday.
Recently, in an application to the court, Shaista had alleged that she had been falsely implicated in the case. The MP/MLA court of Prayagraj on April 6 had also rejected her anticipatory bail application in connection with Umesh Pal murder case, observing that “she has been named as accused in FIR and also been accused of killing of three persons. Besides, her role too has been mentioned in the FIR itself.”
{{/usCountry}}Recently, in an application to the court, Shaista had alleged that she had been falsely implicated in the case. The MP/MLA court of Prayagraj on April 6 had also rejected her anticipatory bail application in connection with Umesh Pal murder case, observing that “she has been named as accused in FIR and also been accused of killing of three persons. Besides, her role too has been mentioned in the FIR itself.”
{{/usCountry}}On a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a criminal case under section 302 (murder), 120B (conspiracy) and other sections of IPC, was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq, his wife Shaista Parveen, Atiq’s brother Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf, sons and aides Guddu Muslim, Arman, Sabir and Ghulam among others. In the FIR, Jaya Pal said her husband was eliminated by Atiq, his wife Shaista and Atiq’s brother Ashraf by hatching a conspiracy.
Police investigation so far has indicated that Shaista Parveen was aware of the plan of assault and was involved in the conspiracy. A footage of Shaista with one of the wanted shooters Sabir and some others has also gone viral on social media. It is alleged that the viral video is of February 19, only a few days before the assault on Umesh Pal took place.
The police have announced a reward of ₹5 lakh each on Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad, Guddu Muslim, who was the bomber, besides shooters Armaan, Ghulam and Sabir. On March 28, the MP/MLA court of Prayagraj had convicted gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and two other accused in the 2006 kidnapping of Umesh Pal.