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In a major development in connection with the murder of Atiq Ahmed, the lawyer of the slain gangster-turned-politician was on Saturday night, police said.
The gangster, who was arrested in connection with the murder of Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder of BSP leader Raju Pal, was sensationally shot dead by hitmen in full media glare while being brought for a medical examination in Prayagraj district. Police said Atiq's advocate, Vijay Mishra, was arrested in a joint operation of Uttar Pradesh Police and theSpecial Task Force (STF) from the Gomtinagar area of Lucknow on Saturday late night. "The counsel for Atiq Ahmed, Vijay Mishra, was arrested by Prayagraj Police," Deepak Bhuker, DCP, Prayagraj, said. The police informed further that the arrest was made on the basis of a statement from advocate Khan Saulat Hanif, who used to represent Atiq Ahmed as well. Earlier, on July 12, Uttar Pradesh Police registered another case against the slain gangster's son, Ali Ahmed, for allegedly threatening, land-grabbing and demanding extortion of Rs 50 lakh in Prayagraj's Kareli. Officials said the action came on the basis of a complaint lodged by Kareli resident Danish Shakeel. Along with Ali, five other people were also been named in the FIR. It was alleged that Atiq's son threatened the complainant's sister to sell the land in his name, and as he failed to do so,he demanded Rs 50 lakh as extortion. A case was registered under relevant IPC sections at Dhumanganj police station in Prayagraj district. Earlier this year, the Allahabad High Court rejectedthe bail application of Ali Ahmed in a 2021 extortion case, saying that enlarging "such a criminal" on bail would be a threat "not only to the witnesses but also a constant threat to society". The court observed that Ali's also came up in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. Atiq was named the prime accused in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal and also in the killing of a key witness in that case, Umesh Pal, in February this year. Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were shot dead by men posing as journalists on April 15 this year. (ANI)
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