Atiq Ahmed's hearing in Prayagraj court today; Slain Umesh Pal's kin seek death penalty, say "want his empire of terror to end"

Prayagraj: Family of Umesh Pal, the lawyer who was abducted and killed, on Tuesday said that they want the mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, a prime accused in the case to be given the death sentence stating that they want his "empire of terror to end".
"...We don't have the strength to fight a case in the time to come. He (Atiq ahmed) should be sentenced to death by hanging. If he is sentenced to life imprisonment, he can do anything from jail. He got my son killed from jail. He won't let us live if he remains there..." Umesh Pal's mother Shanti Devi told ANI ahead of a hearing of the case in Prayagraj court Umesh Pal's widow Jaya Pal said, "I hope court sentences him to death by hanging. If he lives, perhaps we won't be able be alive. Maybe it would be us next. If he is gone only then will terror be gone..."
"I want Atiq Ahmed's empire to end, I don't want him to be alive. I urge the court to give him a death sentence," she said.
Meanwhile, security has been deployed outside the residence of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj.
The five time MLA Atiq Ahmed was brought to Prayagraj jail from Gujarat's Sabarmati jail on Monday to be produced in Prayagraj Court today, which will deliver the verdict in the kidnapping case. All accused in the case, including mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed's brother Ashraf, will be produced in court.
Ahmed is also an accused in the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal. Umesh Pal, who was a prime witness in the Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead in Prayagraj on February 24 this year.
Ahmed is 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.
District Bar Association, Prayagraj said that the hearing will not be held in any other cases except the Umesh Pal abduction case today in the MP-MLA court of Prayagraj.
"A letter was written to Minister of District Advocates Association by Presiding Officer of MP MLA Court. A request also has been made to pronounce a verdict on March 28 itself," the Association said.
Security has also been increased outside Naini jail in Prayagraj and a heavy deployment of uniformed personnel was seen outside the jail premises today.
Ahmed was on Monday brought to Naini jail in Prayagraj from Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad by road covering a distance of over 1,300 kilometres in around 24 hours. He was escorted by a 45-member team of Uttar Pradesh police.
Judge of Special MP MLA Court Dr Dinesh Chandra Shukla will give a verdict in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case today. The court had reserved the verdict on March 17 after the completion of the hearing.
On 25 January 2005, BSP MLA Raju Pal was murdered. Devilal Pal and Sandeep Yadav were also killed. Umesh Pal, the main witness in the Raju Pal murder case, was abducted on February 28, 2006.
Atiq Ahmed had allegedly abducted Umesh Pal from a Land Cruiser vehicle near Phansi Imli of the Dhumanganj police station area. Keeping him in his Chakia office, he was beaten up and electrocuted.
Atiq had made Umesh Pal give a written statement in his favor on March 1, 2006, that he was not present at the scene and did not want to testify.
Umesh Pal filed a case of kidnapping in Dhumanganj police station in July 2007 after the formation of the BSP government in Uttar Pradesh in 2007.
A case was registered against former MPs Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf, Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed alias Ansar Baba, Khan Soulat Hanif. Police has named Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Dinesh Pasi, Ansar Ahmed, Saulat Hanif, Javed, Farhan, Israr, Abid Pradhan, Ashiq Malli and Ejaz Akhtar as accused.
One of the accused Ansar Ahmed died. Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf and Farhan are in jail. The rest of the accused are out on bail.
In 2009, the court framed charge on the accused and the trial of the case began.
In 2016, in this case, an attempt was made to throw Umesh Pal from the fourth floor of the court premises to make him withdraw.
An FIR has been registered in this matter at the Colonelganj police station. Various applications were filed on behalf of the accused to stop the trial of the case.
Umesh Pal filed an application in the High Court demanding early settlement of the case. Allahabad High Court ordered to complete the hearing of the case in two months by March 16, 2023.
During the trial, the prosecution produced 8 witnesses and the defence produced 50 witnesses.
Umesh Pal was murdered on February 24 after returning from defending this case.
In the Umesh Pal kidnapping case, an FIR has been registered in the Dhumanganj police station under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 364 A, 341, 342, 504, 506, 120 B and 7 CLA Act. (ANI)