Mallika Dureja
The former MP’s strained relationship with lawyer Umesh Pal, a key witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder, has come to light as gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his family have been accused of plotting the murder.
In 2022, Atiq’s goons allegedly stole the lawyer’s land in Peepal Gaon, Dhumanganj. Umesh Pal aka Krishna Kumar Pal claimed in his police complaint that he got the property from the daughter of Kaushambi resident Ramdin on March 13, 2018.
The accused wanted 1 crore from Umesh to vacate the land, prompting a FIR against four named and six unnamed “henchmen” of Atiq Ahmad at the Dhumanganj police station on August 24, 2022, police officials said.
The Dhumanganj SHO said Atiq and his men were charged and given non-bailable warrants (NBW).
SHO Rajesh Kumar Maurya said, “A case was registered against the close aides of former MP at the Dhumanganj police station and we have charge-sheeted Atiq Ahmad in the case wherein the complainant, Umesh Pal, had claimed that Atiq’s men demanded an extortion of 1 crore from him at the latter’s behest.
He added that all four FIR defendants were absconding and had NBWs. Umesh named Khalid Zafar, Mohammad Muslim, Dilip Kushwaha, and Abu Saad, all Atiq associates, in his police report.
Police also investigated the “land grab” angle as a possible motive for the murder plot. Atiq’s crew allegedly killed Umesh Pal on February 24. The attack killed two officers protecting Umesh Pal.
