Atiq Ahmad's lawyer Khan Shoulat Hanif booked for criminal conspiracy in Umesh Pal murder case

PRAYAGRAJ: Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad's counsel Khan Shoulat Hanif was booked for criminal conspiracy in the Umesh Pal murder case, an official said on Saturday.
Hanif's name was added under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code to the FIR registered at Dhoomanganj police station in the Umesh Pal murder case, news agency PTI quoted deputy commissioner of police (City) Deepak Bhukar as saying.
"We came to know that Hanif shared pictures of Umesh Pal with Ahmad's son Asad days before he was attacked," Bhukar told PTI.
In a police encounter in Jhansi on April 13, Asad—the third of Ahmad's five sons—was killed.
Sources told PTI that the police might soon file a remand application in court to interrogate Hanif, who is currently lodged in Naini Central Prison after getting a life sentence in connection with the kidnapping of Umesh Pal.
Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, and his two security personnel were shot dead on February 24.
On February 25, the police registered a case against Ahmad, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine other accomplices at Dhoomanganj police station.
A special court here on March 28 convicted Ahmad, Hanif and Dinesh Pasi and sentenced them to life in prison in the 17-year-old kidnapping case.
Hanif and Pasi were detained in Naini Central Prison while Ahmad was sent to Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.
Ahmad, a former Samajwadi Party MP, and Ashraf were shot dead on April 15 by three assailants when they were being taken by the police for a medical examination. They were brought here in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case.
(With inputs from PTI)