Atiq Ahmed, his brother reach Prayagraj amid heavy security, lodged in Naini jail

Prayagraj: Mafioso-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, his younger brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf and Farhan alias Pahalwan were brought to Prayagraj from different parts of the country amid tight security on Monday in connection with the 2007 Umesh Pal kidnapping case.
They will be produced before a local MP\MLA court on Tuesday which is likely to pronounce its verdict in the case. Moreover, 10 accused in the case will also be produced before the court.
The trio is lodged at high security barracks of Naini Central jail where they will be under constant CCTV vigil. Cops on duty have also been armed with body worn cameras.
Interestingly, Prayagraj cops have brought all three high-profile accused, Atiq from Sabarmati jail, Asharf from Bareilly and Pahalwan from Chitrakoot jails under “Mission Secret” wherein the cops accompanying them were not told about whom they would be bringing and from which location and route. A senior UP police official preferring anonymity told TOI: “Three different police teams were dispatched to different locations on different dates\timings to bring the accused to Prayagraj. These teams were initially not told about their destinations. Only the team leader coordinated with top brasses till they reached the jail concerned.”
While a team of 22 policemen led by a SHO-rank official in four vehicles, including two prison vans, was sent Sabarmati to bring Atiq to Prayagraj a team of 11 cops in two vehicles, including a prison van, was sent to Bareilly to bring Ashraf.
Bareilly police too coordinated with their Prayagraj counterparts to ensure safe passage back to Prayagraj.
Besides, a team of six policemen was sent to Chitrakoot to bring Pahalwan to Naini jail.
The police cavalcade carrying Atiq left Sabarmati jail after taking the gangster into its custody on Sunday evening and reached Prayargaj on Monday evening after covering around 1300km distance. The cavalcade passed through four states-- Gujrat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and UP-- and took halts at 12 spots.
The prison van carrying Atiq also hit a cow near Raksha toll plaza, Shivpuri before entering the UP border. The cattle died on the spot and the cavalcade moved further. The cavalcade halted for around an hour at Jhansi reserve police lines and reached Naini central jail around 5.25pm.
Atiq’s sister, who was accompanying the cavalcade in her own vehicle from Sabarmati to Prayagraj, interacted with mediapersons at Jhansi and said she feared encounter of his elder brother citing recent statement of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the state assembly for strict dealing with mafias.
She claimed that her brother was not a criminal while asserting that case is pending in the court.
Another police cavalcade carrying Ashaf started its journey for Prayagraj from Bareilly around 9am on Monday morning and reached Naini central jail on Monday late evening.
The kidnapping case is based on a complaint by lawyer Umesh Pal, a witness in 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case.
The trial by MP/MLA court of Prayagraj had concluded on March 21, 2023.
Umesh in his FIR lodged in 2007 had alleged that the henchmen of Atiq had kidnapped and thrashed him asking him to turn hostile in Raju Pal murder case.
An FIR was lodged by Umesh in this connection on July 5, 2007 at Dhoomanganj police station under section 364 A (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) and other sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Incidentally, Umesh Pal along with two of his police gunners was killed on February 24 this year near his house at Sulemsarai area. Following the killing, Umesh’s wife had named Atiq, his wife Shaista Parveen, brother Ashraf, his sons and others in the FIR.