Almost three weeks after the sensational murder of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh, UP Police’s special task force (STF) has gathered strong inputs to confirm that the conspiracy to kill Pal was planned and put in action by jailed don-turned-politician former Lok Sabha MP Atiq Ahmed from inside his cell in Ahmdabad’s Sabarmati Jail.
Umesh Pal was the prime witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005.
According to highly-placed sources in the police, monitoring the investigation, it was Atiq who had put his son, Asad, in action for the murder. However, as per Atiq’s plan, Asad’s role was to just supervise from inside the SUV – an instruction that was eventually defied by Asad, thus leaving no doubt for the police to confirm the direct involvement of Atiq in the shootout that killed Umesh and two policemen. It was the rookie son’s last-minute bravado that jeopardized Atiq’s plan to side-step from the three murders.
On February 24, Umesh Pal, a complainant in a kidnapping case against Atiq and his brother, former MLA Ashraf, was shot dead by armed assailants in the Dhomanganj area of Prayagraj. Pal was also an eye witness against Atiq and Ashraf in the Raju Pal murder case.
Within hours after the sensational murder that had brought the focus back on the law and order scenario in Uttar Pradesh, police were able to access multiple CCTV camera footage from the spot. The shocking footage showed armed men in multiple vehicles, including an SUV and bikes, opening fire on Pal and two jawans of UP Police deployed for his security.
Within the next 24 hours of the murder, the focus was on the young shooter who had emerged from the steering of the white SUV. The shooter was none other than Asad Ahmed, the third son of Atiq.
With Asad’s identity confirmed, there was no doubt left that the crime was committed by the Atiq gang. The other shooters too were identified as members of the gang. This also included Guddu Muslim, who had been a close confidante of Atiq for at least the past three decades.
Atiq Used FaceTime to Connect With Gang Members
Following the murders, though an FIR was immediately registered against Atiq and his jailed brother Ashraf, charging them with criminal conspiracy, questions were raised if it was actually an operation led by Atiq or by his son Asad to establish his footprint.
Initially, a section of top police officers considered the possibility of a shift in the leadership of Atiq’s gang. The fact that Asad was leading the operation was seen as possible proof of a desperate son trying to recapture the terror tag for his father’s gang as the latter has been behind the bars for several years now.
It was also speculated that Atiq wouldn’t be able to commit such sensational murders given the fact that he had been away from Uttar Pradesh, languishing in Sabarmati jail, and that the Yogi Adityanath government has been relentlessly pursuing cases against him.
However, all these speculations have now been put to rest.
A senior police officer working on the Atiq and Mukhtar Ansari gangs in Uttar Pradesh told News18 that the police now have strong evidence to believe that the entire plan was chalked out by Atiq himself. Though the official procedure of taking Atiq on remand by UP STF is still going on, questioning of the jailed don has already taken place off the record.
A team of UP Police is said to have already visited Atiq in Sabarmati jail. His brother Ashraf, presently lodged in UP’s Bareilly jail, was also questioned.
According to top police sources, there is ample evidence of Atiq having access to smartphones inside the jail. The investigation so far also suggested that mobile apps like FaceTime were used by Atiq and other gang members to stay connected.
Though UP Police has given no official account of the interrogation with one of the arrested accused Sadakat Khan, sources said crucial information about the conspiracy and execution of murders has been obtained from him, including the fact about Asad’s involvement.
Asked why Asad was put in the line of fire by his father, a top cop on condition of anonymity told News18, “The decision to rope in Asad in a supervisory role was that of Atiq himself. However, he was asked to keep his identity a secret by not stepping out of the SUV.”
Assad is presently absconding and carrying a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh on his head.
Accused Sadakat Khan fled on the D-day
In the murder case where the investigation seems to be guided by the ‘Bullets and Bulldozers’ policy of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an exception is probably Sadakat Khan – the only accused who have been arrested and sent to judicial custody. The two shooters in the case, Arbaz and Usman, have been killed in encounters.
Top police sources said Sadakat’s questioning has left no doubt that the man was in know about the conspiracy to kill Umesh Pal. He was also with the other shooters, the day before the murder and had followed Umesh to do the needed recce. However, Khan, a law graduate, developed cold feet on D-day and chose to flee from Prayagraj.
According to police sources, Sadakat then got busy acquiring evidence that might help save him. He kept his mobile location on and was in Varanasi on the morning of February 24. From Varanasi, he bought a train ticket and boarded a train. Along his journey for the next 5 hours, he deliberately got out at almost all the stations and ensured he gets captured on the CCTV cameras installed at the platforms.
According to the top cop quoted earlier, Sadakat has told the police about the conspiracy to murder Umesh Pal and the fact that orders came from none other than Atiq. He had also confirmed that as per the plan, Asad was not supposed to reveal his identity during the operation.
What was the murder motive?
The investigators were initially baffled by the question that why Umesh Pal was not murdered in the past years when he had been pursuing the cases of kidnapping and Raju Pal murder against Atiq and his men. After all, Atiq had already deposed before the courts in both cases.
Sources said there could be multiple reasons behind targeting Umesh Pal after so many years. One possibility could be that Umesh Pal had probably gone too bold in his struggle with the Atiq gang. The matter was no longer just limited to court cases but was also about some prime pieces of land which Umesh wanted to take over. Most likely Umesh’s move was threatening to hit Atiq financially.
Another possible reason could be Atiq’s larger desperation to turn around his diminishing clout. Highly informed sources said that even some of his former associates were turning rebels and intending to usurp the properties that were actually the benami holdings of Atiq’s family. In order to re-establish his terror, a sensational crime was needed and, hence, Umesh was chosen as the target.
Whatever had been the immediate provocation behind Umesh Pal’s murder, the outcome clearly has not been according to Atiq’s assessment.
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