Prayagraj: Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed — a former MP — and two others were sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment on Tuesday in 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case. The Prayagraj MP-MLA court, however, acquitted Atiq’s brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf and six others accused in the case. Umesh Pal, who was a witness in 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, himself was killed in February this year but only after submitting his testimony in the abduction case before the court.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of them and further directed that in case of non-payment of fine, they would have to undergo a rigorous imprisonment of two more months. Besides, special judge MP-MLA court Dinesh Chandra Shukla ordered them to pay Rs 1 lakh each as compensation to the complainant — Umesh Pal’s family.
Umesh Pal’s mother Shanti Devi said she has full faith in the country’s judiciary, but expressed apprehension Atiq “could do anything from inside the jail”.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of them and further directed that in case of non-payment of fine, they would have to undergo a rigorous imprisonment of two more months. Besides, special judge MP-MLA court Dinesh Chandra Shukla ordered them to pay Rs 1 lakh each as compensation to the complainant — Umesh Pal’s family.
Umesh Pal’s mother Shanti Devi said she has full faith in the country’s judiciary, but expressed apprehension Atiq “could do anything from inside the jail”.