<p>Mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Prayagraj in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case, who was a key witness in the killing of a BSP MLA in 2005 and who was gunned down in broad daylight in the Uttar Pradesh town last month.</p>.<p>The court also sentenced two other accused persons, identified as Dinesh Pasi and Khan Shoukat Hanif in the matter while acquitting seven others. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on Atiq, Pasi, and Hanif.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/atiq-ahmed-associate-carrying-rs-25k-bounty-injured-in-police-encounter-in-uttar-pradesh-1203766.html" target="_blank">Atiq Ahmed associate carrying Rs 25K bounty injured in police encounter in Uttar Pradesh</a></strong></p>.<p>The case pertained to the kidnapping of Umesh Pal in 2006, a year after the then BSP MLA Raju Pal was killed. Umesh, who was an eyewitness in the Raju Pal murder case, had alleged that Atiq, who was the prime accused in the MLA's killing, had kidnapped him at gun point and tortured him in a bid to force him to turn hostile in the case.</p>.<p>Umesh also alleged that he was made to sign an affidavit stating that he was not present on the spot where Raju Pal had been killed. Umesh had appeared before the court then and also submitted the affidavit.</p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/kahe-ka-dar-asks-gangster-atiq-ahmed-as-his-convoy-halts-in-mps-shivpuri-district-before-entering-jhansi-1203919.html" target="_blank">'Kahe ka dar', asks gangster Atiq Ahmed as his convoy halts in MP's Shivpuri district before entering Jhansi</a></strong></p>.<p>A year later however, Umesh lodged an FIR with the police alleging that he had been coerced into signing the affidavit and also that he had been kidnapped by Atiq's goons.</p>.<p>Umesh Pal was sprayed with bullets last month by unidentified assailants in the town of Prayagraj. A case was lodged against Ateeq, who was then lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat, in the matter and some others. </p>.<p>UP police later gunned down two alleged shooters, accused in the sensational daylight murder of Umesh, in encounters. Atiq's wife, also an accused in the matter, was still absconding. </p>.<p>The verdict in the murder case of Raju Pal in which Atiq was the prime accused is also likely to be pronounced in the next few months.</p>
<p>Mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed was on Tuesday sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Prayagraj in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case, who was a key witness in the killing of a BSP MLA in 2005 and who was gunned down in broad daylight in the Uttar Pradesh town last month.</p>.<p>The court also sentenced two other accused persons, identified as Dinesh Pasi and Khan Shoukat Hanif in the matter while acquitting seven others. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on Atiq, Pasi, and Hanif.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/atiq-ahmed-associate-carrying-rs-25k-bounty-injured-in-police-encounter-in-uttar-pradesh-1203766.html" target="_blank">Atiq Ahmed associate carrying Rs 25K bounty injured in police encounter in Uttar Pradesh</a></strong></p>.<p>The case pertained to the kidnapping of Umesh Pal in 2006, a year after the then BSP MLA Raju Pal was killed. Umesh, who was an eyewitness in the Raju Pal murder case, had alleged that Atiq, who was the prime accused in the MLA's killing, had kidnapped him at gun point and tortured him in a bid to force him to turn hostile in the case.</p>.<p>Umesh also alleged that he was made to sign an affidavit stating that he was not present on the spot where Raju Pal had been killed. Umesh had appeared before the court then and also submitted the affidavit.</p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/kahe-ka-dar-asks-gangster-atiq-ahmed-as-his-convoy-halts-in-mps-shivpuri-district-before-entering-jhansi-1203919.html" target="_blank">'Kahe ka dar', asks gangster Atiq Ahmed as his convoy halts in MP's Shivpuri district before entering Jhansi</a></strong></p>.<p>A year later however, Umesh lodged an FIR with the police alleging that he had been coerced into signing the affidavit and also that he had been kidnapped by Atiq's goons.</p>.<p>Umesh Pal was sprayed with bullets last month by unidentified assailants in the town of Prayagraj. A case was lodged against Ateeq, who was then lodged in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat, in the matter and some others. </p>.<p>UP police later gunned down two alleged shooters, accused in the sensational daylight murder of Umesh, in encounters. Atiq's wife, also an accused in the matter, was still absconding. </p>.<p>The verdict in the murder case of Raju Pal in which Atiq was the prime accused is also likely to be pronounced in the next few months.</p>