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Khalid Jafar, an aide of jailed mafia Atiq Ahmed, allegedly provided shelter to shooters of Umesh Pal – the prime witness of the 2005 Raju Pal murder case – at his residence in Prayagraj’s Chakiya.
Continuing its crackdown on jailed UP mafia don Atiq Ahmed, the Yogi Adityanath government on Wednesday bulldozed a two-storey house of his close aide who is accused in the daylight murder of a court witness against him.
The residence of Khalid Jafar, an accused in the murder case of Umesh Pal – the prime witness of the 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was demolished by a bulldozer machine in Chakiya area of Prayagraj.
According to authorities, Jafar’s plush residential property was built illegally. The building – which falls under the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) – was constructed without required layout clearances, officials said.
On February 24, a group of Atiq’s men shot dead Umesh and his gunner in the Sulen Sarai area of Prayagraj in broad daylight when he returned to his home after appearing before the Allahabad High Court in the murder case of Raju Pal. Another policeman, who also sustained bullet injuries in the gunfight, is said to be critical.
As per police officials, shooters had met Atiq’s wife Sahista Parveen at Jafar’s residence – which is estimated to be worth more than ₹2 crores. After killing Umesh, the shooters allegedly used this property as their hideout.
Raju Pal was murdered after he defeated Atiq’s brother Ashraf, currently in jail, from Allahabad (West) Assembly seat in the 2005 Assembly elections. Atiq along with Ashraf is accused in the sensational murder case.
On Monday, Arbaaz (24), an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case, was killed by UP Police in an exchange of fire near Nehru Park in Prayagraj.
Police have registered a case against Atiq Ahmed, his wife Sahista, brother Ashraf, his sons Guddu and Ghulam and their unknown accomplices for the murder of Umesh based on a complaint from his wife Jaya Pal.
They were booked under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Footage from a CCTV camera installed at the spot shows a group of people firing at Umesh and hurling bombs, creating mayhem in the bustling area.
Police have detained Atiq’s sons Guddu and Ghulam and some of their aides following a raid at his residence. A law student has also been arrested for his role in the murder.
Raju Pal was allegedly murdered in broad daylight in Prayagraj three months after he defeated Ashraf. Initially, UP Police investigated the case, but it was taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2016.
Atiq, a five-time MLA from Allahabad (West), is lodged in Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. He was elected an MP from the Phulpur seat on the Samajwadi Party ticket in 2004.
He won Allahabad (West) as an independent three times, and two times as a candidate of the Samajwadi Party and Apna Dal.
Atiq faces a long list of cases in Uttar Pradesh in crimes like extortion, murder, dacoity, intimidation etc.
