On Tuesday, Prayagraj Police made a crucial breakthrough in Umesh Pal’s murder investigation, seizing an iPhone, a register, and two Aadhaar cards from the Kasari Masari residence of convicted gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed. According to reports, the police recovered the items based on the testimony of Atiq’s accountant, Rakesh Lala, who was arrested with Atiq.
The old register confiscated from Atiq’s house contained the names of some former Atiq Ahmed associates. As many as 12 iPhones were used by Atiq and his aides to plan the murder of Umesh Pal, the IDs and the passwords of which were also mentioned in the register seized by the police. The phones were provided to Atiq’a aides by his wife Shaista Parveen.
According to reports, Atiq Ahmed and his shooters had made their iPhone IDs under various code names and communicated with each other under these aliases to execute Umesh Pal’s murder.
According to the details available in the register, Atiq Ahmed was given the code name ‘Bade Miyan’ and his brother Ashraf was named ‘Chotte Miyan.’ Atiq Ahmed’s key shooter Guddu Muslim, a co-accused in the murder case of Umesh Pal, was given the code name ‘Murgi,’ since he owned a chicken shop. Similarly, Atiq Ahmed Shooter Mohammad Ghulamand, who had fired from the shop, was named ‘Ullu’. Ghulam is among the five accused on whom the Uttar Pradesh Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh.
Reportedly, since Atiq’s son Asad is a big fan of Bollywood actor Salman Khan, he chose the code-name ‘Radhe’, inspired by the actor’s 2021 movie, where Salman Khan essayed the role of an undercover officer named Radhe.
According to the authorities, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, and his aides communicated over the iPhone’s FaceTime application and only used the code names provided to them.
The register also included critical information concerning property sales involving multiple property sellers and Atiq and his accomplices.
As per reports, during the interrogation, Rakesh Lala told the police about the iPhone and the register where all the transactions were done.
The police suspect that the seized iPhone was used in Umesha Pal’s murder case and it will be sent to the forensic lab for examination.
Rakesh Lala and Cash Ahmed told the police that the money and weapons found in Atiq’s office were provided to them by the gangster’s wife, Shaista Parveen.
Atiq Ahmed’s son and family members open fire at a marriage ceremony, old video goes viral
Meanwhile, an old video of Atiq Ahmed’s family members opening fire in the air at a marriage ceremony has been going viral on social media. The video is said to be seven years old from Atiq Ahmed’s brother-in-law’s wedding in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
In the video, Atiq’s family members including his sons Ali, who is currently in Prayagraj’s Naini jail on charges of extortion, threatening and assaulting and the gangster’s younger son, Asad, who is accused in the Umesh Pal case son, are seen holding a pistol in his hand and happily firing several rounds. It is being reported that at least 150 rounds were fired in two and a half minutes.
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In the video, Ashraf Ahmed can be seen sitting on a chair where the firing is taking place. Then, in the midst of the firing, Atiq Ahmed’s son Ali Ahmed approaches his uncle Ashraf and requests him to give his a pistol (Ali was reportedly a minor when the incident took place). Ashraf then loads his personal pistol and hands over it to Ali.
Ali then attempts to shoot in the air for the first time but fails. Then Ashraf reloads the pistol and passes it to Ali, who executes a furious faring in gangster style this time. When Ali succeeds in firing in the second instance, the guests and family members sitting around applaud and pat him on the back.
It may be recalled that earlier it was revealed that Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were in touch with each other through iPhone’s FaceTime application. The Police also revealed that the gangster planned the murder from within the jail and also made all the preparations to save his son Asad Ahmed from the case and showcase his presence in Lucknow.
Last month, an MP-MLA court in Prayagraj sentenced mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to rigorous life imprisonment in the Umesh Pal abduction case. Ahmed is also the main accused in the Umesh Pal murder case. Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two security personnel were shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 this year.
Atiq Ahmed, who has over 100 cases registered against him, was brought by Uttar Pradesh police from Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj’s Naini jail on March 27 after an over 24-hour long drive from Gujarat.
