"Son Of One Of The Most Dreaded Criminals": UP Court Rejects Bail Request

Rejecting the bail application of Atiq Ahmed's son Ali Ahmed in a 2021 extortion case, the Allahabad High Court observed that enlarging "such a criminal" on bail would be a threat "not only to the witnesses but also a constant threat to society".

The order was pronounced by Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh who observed that the accused is the son of one of the most dreaded criminals Atiq Ahmed and he himself has cases registered against him. Ahmed was booked for an attempt to murder and in the case of demanding extortion.

The court observed that Ali's name has also appeared in the Umesh Pal murder case, who was a prime witness in the BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case.

"Accused-applicant is the son of one of the most dreaded criminals, Bahubali and Mafia Don, Atique Ahmad, who has to his credit more than a hundred criminal cases of murder, abduction, extortion, ransom, property grabbing and other heinous offences. The accused applicant himself to his credit has other cases registered against him," the court said.

"Recently, name of the accused applicant has also got figured in a most daring and gruesome murder of Umesh Pal, star witness in the case of murder of sitting Member of Legislative Assembly, Raju Pal allegedly by his father and other accused in a broad day light where Raju Pal, sitting Member of Legislative Assembly and three more persons were killed by firing at them several gunshots from automatic weapons," the court added.

The court further observed that the accused is a "Mafia Don himself in making".

"The accused applicant is Mafia Don himself in making, his role has figured in commission of the offence of murder of Umesh Pal, star witness in the murder case of Raju Pal, sitting Member of Legislative Assembly, which has been expedited by the Supreme Court. Such a criminal if comes out from jail on bail, would be a threat not only to the witnesses, but also constant threat to the society," the court observed.

Meanwhile, the Prayagraj district administration demolished the property of Atiq Ahmed's aide, Safdar Ali on Thursday.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the property of an accused in the killing of the key witness in the murder of Raju Pal, a BSP MLA, was razed to the ground in Prayagraj.

Earlier, in a major development in the Umesh Pal murder case, an accused was shot in an exchange of fire near the Nehru Park area in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj on Monday, a top police officer said.

The accused, identified as Arbaaz, was driving the car used in the murder of Umesh Pal, who was a prime witness in several cases, including the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal.

The police said Arbaaz was injured and succumbed at the hospital.

"Accused Arbaaz was shot during the encounter that took place near Nehru Park in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj earlier today. He was driving the car that was used in the murder (of Umesh Pal) and was fired upon," ADG law and order Prashant Kumar said on Monday.

"Arbaaz died during treatment at the hospital. The UP administration and the police have initiated a campaign against all such miscreants, gangsters, and mafia. There is also a crackdown on those sheltering such people," he added.

Umesh Pal and one of his two armed security escorts were shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area on February 24. Several rounds were fired and bombs hurled at Umesh and his gunners.

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