Prayagraj: Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s younger brother, Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, who was killed on April 15 along with his brother, had been apprehending threat to his life and also of his brother immediately after being made accused in the daylight killing of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj on February 24, 2023.
After three days of killing of Umesh Pal, Ashraf had on February 28 moved an application before CJM Prayagraj, requesting that his ‘peshi’ (presence) before the court be arranged through video-conferencing, as according to him there was a threat to his life. He had also expressed the fear that he and his elder brother Atiq might be killed before being taken to the court. However, the CJM on March 1 rejected his application.
Thereafter, on March 31 Ashraf again moved an application before CJM Prayagraj seeking his security on the way to the court. He had also annexed an order of Allahabad High Court dated May 21, 2023, wherein certain directions were issued for his security.
The CJM, after hearing the counsel for Ashraf and also the state government’s counsel, on April 1, 2023, directed the police commissioner, Prayagraj to comply with the directives of Allahabad High Court dated March 21 regarding protection of the life of Ashraf.
In its decision dated May 21, a division bench of Allahabad High Court, while hearing a writ petition filed by Ashraf, apprehending threat to his life, had directed the state government and its authorities concerned to protect the life of the petitioner and also to ensure his safety and security in the transit from Bareilly jail to Prayagraj. Umesh Pal and his two police security guards — Sandeep Nishad and Raghvendra Singh — were shot dead on February 24, 2023, outside his home in the Dhoomanganj police station area of Prayagraj.
On a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a criminal case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq, his wife Shaista Parveen, brother Ashraf, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and others.
At one stage, the police obtained B warrant (production warrant) from CJM, Prayagraj and brought Atiq from Sabarmati Jail of Gujarat and Ashraf from Bareilly jail of UP to be produced before the MP-MLA court of Prayagraj on March 28, 2023, when the verdict in connection with Umesh Pal abduction case was pronounced. Atiq along with two others were awarded life term in this case by the MP-MLA court but Ashraf was acquitted for want of evidence against him.
Subsequently, the police brought both of them again before the court of CJM Prayagraj in order to get police custody remand so that some necessary information could be obtained from them.
The CJM on April 13, 2023 granted police remand of both of them from April 13 to April 17, 2023.
However, as per legal requirement, during their routine medical check up, when both were brought before the Colwin Hospital, they were shot dead by three unidentified criminals on April 15, 2023, which proved the repeated apprehension of threat mentioned by Ashraf in his repeated applications to be true.
Atiq and Ashraf were accused in the daylight killing of Umesh Pal on February 24, 2023. Umesh was the prime witness in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case of 2005 in which Ashraf along with Atiq are accused. It is alleged that Ashraf had conspired from inside the Bareily jail, where he was lodged, to eliminate Umesh Pal.
After three days of killing of Umesh Pal, Ashraf had on February 28 moved an application before CJM Prayagraj, requesting that his ‘peshi’ (presence) before the court be arranged through video-conferencing, as according to him there was a threat to his life. He had also expressed the fear that he and his elder brother Atiq might be killed before being taken to the court. However, the CJM on March 1 rejected his application.
Thereafter, on March 31 Ashraf again moved an application before CJM Prayagraj seeking his security on the way to the court. He had also annexed an order of Allahabad High Court dated May 21, 2023, wherein certain directions were issued for his security.
The CJM, after hearing the counsel for Ashraf and also the state government’s counsel, on April 1, 2023, directed the police commissioner, Prayagraj to comply with the directives of Allahabad High Court dated March 21 regarding protection of the life of Ashraf.
In its decision dated May 21, a division bench of Allahabad High Court, while hearing a writ petition filed by Ashraf, apprehending threat to his life, had directed the state government and its authorities concerned to protect the life of the petitioner and also to ensure his safety and security in the transit from Bareilly jail to Prayagraj. Umesh Pal and his two police security guards — Sandeep Nishad and Raghvendra Singh — were shot dead on February 24, 2023, outside his home in the Dhoomanganj police station area of Prayagraj.
On a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, a criminal case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq, his wife Shaista Parveen, brother Ashraf, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam and others.
At one stage, the police obtained B warrant (production warrant) from CJM, Prayagraj and brought Atiq from Sabarmati Jail of Gujarat and Ashraf from Bareilly jail of UP to be produced before the MP-MLA court of Prayagraj on March 28, 2023, when the verdict in connection with Umesh Pal abduction case was pronounced. Atiq along with two others were awarded life term in this case by the MP-MLA court but Ashraf was acquitted for want of evidence against him.
Subsequently, the police brought both of them again before the court of CJM Prayagraj in order to get police custody remand so that some necessary information could be obtained from them.
The CJM on April 13, 2023 granted police remand of both of them from April 13 to April 17, 2023.
However, as per legal requirement, during their routine medical check up, when both were brought before the Colwin Hospital, they were shot dead by three unidentified criminals on April 15, 2023, which proved the repeated apprehension of threat mentioned by Ashraf in his repeated applications to be true.
Atiq and Ashraf were accused in the daylight killing of Umesh Pal on February 24, 2023. Umesh was the prime witness in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case of 2005 in which Ashraf along with Atiq are accused. It is alleged that Ashraf had conspired from inside the Bareily jail, where he was lodged, to eliminate Umesh Pal.