CJM grants 12-hour police custody remand of Atiq Ahmed's lawyer

PRAYAGRAJ: The chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Prayagraj on Tuesday granted 12 hours police custody remand to slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed's lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif in Umesh Pal murder case.
In his order, CJM Dinesh Kumar Gautam clarified that the police custody will be from 6 am to 6 pm on May 3, 2023, and after completion of this period, Khan Saulat will be sent back to Naini Central Jail where he is presently lodged.
In the application moved by the investigation officer of Umesh Pal murder case, the police custody of Khan Saulat was required so as to obtain his mobile through which he was allegedly connected with killers and conspirators of Umesh Pal murder case. It is alleged that Khan Saulat had shared the photos of Umesh Pal with Asad Ahmed, son of gangster Atiq Ahmed, a few days before the killing of Umesh Pal. Asad was one of the accused in Umesh Pal murder case and was later gunned down in a police encounter in Jhansi on April 14, 2023. According to district government counsel (criminal), Gulab Chandra Agrahri, earlier, the police department had on April 29, 2023, obtained 14 days judicial custody of Khan Saulat in Umesh Pal murder case from the CJM. He was already lodged at Naini Central Jail in Prayagraj in connection with the Umesh Pal abduction case. After judicial custody, Khan Saulat was also accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.