Umesh Pal murder: Cops send shooters’ details to 7 states; quiz Atiq’s driver

In a recent development with the murder case of Umesh Pal, the key witness in the 2005 killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal, the Uttar Pradesh Police has sent the photographs and other details of the shooters to seven other states.

According to the information received by India Today, the UP Police has sought the help of officials in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Delhi. The investigation teams suspect the shooters may have fled to other states to escape arrest.

The shooters are frequently changing their locations and are using WhatsApp to communicate with each other.

ATIQ AHMED’s DRIVER INTERROGATED
Meanwhile, the Prayagraj Police interrogated Kaish Ahmed, the driver of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed. Ahmed, currently lodged in a Gujarat prison, is the main accused in the 2005 murder case of BSP legislator Raju Pal.

Kaish told police the shooters in the case also worked closely with Atiq Ahmed’s wife, Shaista Parveen. Mohammad Ghulam, one of the shooters, was also in close contact with Atiq Ahmed’s sons, who are presently lodged in jail, he told police.

Further, he told police that Shaista Parveen had asked shooters Asad and Ghulam to flee after they had opened fire on Umesh Pal.

Shooter Arman used to take care of Shaista’s security, Atiq’s driver told police, adding, Guddu Muslim was one of the closest to Atiq Ahmed for nearly 30 years.

TWO, WHO MET ATIQ’s BROTHER IN JAIL, ARRESTED
Meanwhile, two men who had allegedly met former MLA Ashraf illegally in jail have been arrested. Ashraf, the brother of Atiq Ahmed, has been lodged in the Bareilly district prison since July 2020. Atiq and Ashraf were recently booked in connection with the killing of Umesh Pal.

The arrested duo were identified as Mohammad Raza alias Lalla Gaddi and Mohammad Arif, a resident of Pilibhit. They were nabbed by a joint team of the Special Operations Group and officers from the Bithri Chainpur police station, Superintendent of Police (City) Rahul Bhati said.

Raza was arrested from Bareilly while Arif was nabbed from his home in Pilibhit.

Earlier, a prison guard and another person were arrested for allegedly facilitating meetings between Ashraf and his close aides illegally.