Top Court refuses to protect Atiq Ahmed in connection to Umesh Pal Murder case

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Synopsis

If this court denies the petitioner protection, it would mean a death warrant for him, counsel on behalf of Ahmed had told the Supreme Court today.

The Supreme Court today refused to provide any relief to 5-time MLA and alleged mafia Atiq Ahmed, who had approached the Court raising apprehensions of danger to life on being shifted to a Uttar Pradesh jail in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case.

"State machinery will take care of you", said a bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi while refusing to entertain Ahmed's plea.

On hearing this, the petitioner chose to withdraw the petition, with liberty to move the High Court.

The bench also advised Ahmed to approach the High Court for protection. Ahmad was shifted to Naini Central jail in Prayagraj from Sabarmati central jail in Gujarat amid heavy security on Monday evening.

When the court refused Ahmed's plea, his counsel urged the court to record his apprehensions in writing while passing an order. 

Ahmed was produced in a Prayagraj court today afternoon in connection with the 2007 kidnapping of Umesh Pal. Pal, a lawyer and the key witness in the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in January 2005, was shot dead near his house in Dhoomanganj, Prayagraj on February 24.

Notably, Ahmed was convicted by an MP-MLA court today and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Special MP-MLA court judge Dinesh Chandra Shukla held Ahmad guilty under Indian Penal Code section 364-A (kidnapping or abduction in order to murder)

Case Title: Atiq Ahmad vs. Union of India & Ors.