Former MLA Khalid Azeem aka Ashraf wants his movement outside the Uttar Pradesh court to be video-graphed and six lawyers to accompany him round the clock. Filing an application in the MP-MLA court of Prayagraj, the former legislator has expressed fears of a Vikas Dubey-like encounter.
Since Ashraf is accused of conspiracy in Umesh Pal murder case, there is a high probability of him being taken on remand. The former MLA, in the application, said that security of his life is the responsibility of the courts as he is in judicial custody.
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Based on his application, the court has sought a reply from Bareilly Jail superintendent. Ashraf had taken shelter at his in-laws’ house in Prayagraj’s Hatwa village when he was wanted in different cases during the first tenure of Yogi Adityanath government.
The former MLA kept hiding there for three years even as a reward of Rs 1 lakh was declared on him. In 2020, Ashraf was arrested from his in-laws’ house and is now lodged in Bareilly Jail.
Umesh Pal Murder Case: SC to Hear Atiq Ahmed’s Plea
The Supreme Court will resume hearing the plea filed by gangster-turned-politician and former Samajwadi Party leader Atiq Ahmed, challenging his transfer from Ahmedabad jail to Uttar Pradesh jail.
Ahmed, who has been named as an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, has told the top court in his plea that he fears that the Uttar Pradesh police might kill him in an encounter
The matter is scheduled to be heard by a bench headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi, and also comprising Justice Bela M Trivedi.
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Atiq Ahmed is currently lodged in Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad. Among the most sensational murders in which Atiq Ahmed is allegedly involved was that of Raju Pal, the MLA from the Bahujan Samaj Party who was shot in 2005. Umesh Pal was the key witness in this murder case.
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Umesh Pal was gunned down outside his residence in Prayagraj on February 24. Atiq Ahmed is the key accused who is said to have hatched the conspiracy for Umesh Pal’s murder. It was at his behest that his brother Ashraf chalked out the murder plan in UP’s Bareily jail.
In the petition filed before the Supreme Court, Atiq Ahmed said that he was apprehensive that he would be taken on a transit remand by the Uttar Pradesh police to probe his role in the Umesh Pal murder case and would be killed in an encounter.
After Umesh Pal’s murder, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party of patronising mafia (criminals) and said ‘unko mitti mein mila denge’ (we will turn them to dust).
New Video of Umesh Pal Murder Case
A new video of 32 seconds has emerged where injured Umesh Pal can be seen fighting a shooter. Reportedly, the man is Asad, son of Atiq Ahmed.
In the clip, Pal can be seen running towards his house to save his life after being shot. In the corner of the street, a shooter is trying to get hold of Pal to shoot him in the head.
Umesh Pal is seen fighting with the shooter despite being shot. A report in News18 Hindi stated that as the shooter did not succeed in shooting Pal in the head, he fired several bullets in other parts of the body.
