Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was arrested in the Umesh Pal murder case, said that the transfer to Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Sunday was only an excuse to murder him. While stepping out of the Sabarmati Central jail in Ahmedabad Ahmed said: "They are plotting my murder. The court proceedings are just an excuse to kill me." Ahmed had earlier sought permission to appear for the hearing in the case via video conferencing. The verdict in the case is likely to be delivered on March 28.
Atiq Ahmed is one of the accused in Umesh Pal’s kidnapping case. He is being escorted to the high-security Prayagraj Jail by a team of 45 police personnel, which includes an encounter specialist. The journey is likely to take around 36 hours. Atiq Ahmed will be kept in isolation in a high-security barrack at the jail. His cell will have a CCTV camera. Jail staffers will be chosen and deployed on the basis of their records, they will have body cameras. Prayagraj Jail office and headquarters will monitor Ahmed round the clock.
The Special Task Force of the UP Police has planned two routes of nearly 1,300 to take Ahmed out of Gujarat to Utta Pradesh.
Umesh Pal, a key witness in the famous Raju Pal murder case, was shot dead by several shooters in broad daylight in the Sulem Sarai area of Prayagraj on February 24. The entire family of Atiq Ahmed, including his two sons and wife, have been named as accused in the case.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Police, Ahmed's family is involved in over 160 criminal cases. Atiq himself is named in 100 cases. His brother Ashraf has 52 cases, wife Shaista Praveen has three, and sons Ali and Umar Ahmad have four and one cases, respectively, against them, reported India Today.