The Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday conducted a search at gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s office, 26 days after the murder of Umesh Pal. The Police from the Chakia office recovered around Rs 74,62,000 cash, 9 pistols, one handgun, and cartridges. Five of Atiq’s associates have also been arrested by the authorities. It is notable that Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad Ahmed is a prime accused in the Umesj Pal murder case, and us currently absconding.
According to the reports, money and weapons were found concealed beneath the floor and within the walls at Atiq Ahmed’s office in Chakia. The Police broke the walls and the office floor to recover Rs 500 and Rs 200 notes totalling to Rs 74,62,000. The Police used counting machines to count the recovered cash.
A heavy police force was also deployed at the location of the raid on Tuesday which was conducted in presence of the Police Commissioner of Prayagraj, Ramit Sharma. The Police conducted the raids after it was informed about illegal activities being undertaken at Ahmed’s office. Reportedly, the police demolished the illegal construction at the accused’s office in the year 2020.
As per the police, two of the five arrested on Tuesday are associated with the Umesh Pal murder case and knew everything about the incident. The duo was also in constant touch with the shooters. The person taken into custody is a resident of the Chakia area of Atiq Ahmed. He stated that both his father and grandfather also used to work for the gangster-turned-politician. The names of the arrested accused are Niyaz Ahmed, Mohammad Sajar, Kaish Ahmed, Rakesh Kumar, and Arshad Katra alias Arshad Khan.
Police said that Kaish was the driver of Atiq and he had been working for Atiq for the last 16 years whereas Rakesh worked at Ahmed’s office for past 19 years. Police stated further that Kumar played an important role in hiding the weapons.
Police conducting raids in 13 states looking for shooters
Meanwhile, police raids continue in search of the shooters. The Police are conducting searches across Uttar Pradesh as well as 13 other states and 15 districts for Sabir, Guddu Muslim, Armaan, Ghulam, and Asad. The reward money for these five has now been increased by UP Police. The reward money for five suspects in the murder of Umesh Pal has been raised from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh by the UP police.
Earlier this month, the Prayagraj police employed bulldozers to demolish the premises of the accused, who are said to be close associates of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed. According to the reports, the bulldozers were rolled over the properties of one Zafar Ahmed, where Atiq Ahmed’s wife Shaista Parveen was living.
Umesh Pal murder case
Umesh Pal, a key eyewitness in the 2005 murder of the then BSP MLA Raju Pal, was shot dead at his residence in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on February 24. He was taken to a hospital immediately, but he passed away while receiving treatment. After reviewing the CCTV video from the crime scene, the Prayagraj Police have identified the criminals. Based on the complaint launched by Umesh Pal’s wife Jaya Pal, police booked Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Gulam and nine others.
The accused have been booked under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
