New Delhi: A Special CBI court in Lucknow delivered a verdict in the long-standing case of the killing of former BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005. The court convicted seven people in the killing of former BSP
New Delhi: A Special CBI court in Lucknow delivered a verdict in the long-standing case of the killing of former BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005. The court convicted seven people in the killing of former BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, a case in which murdered gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad was also an accused. The proceedings against Atiq Ahmad, his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, and Gulbul alias Rafiq were abated due to their demise.
Raju Pal, a Bahujan Samaj Party leader from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, was gunned down on January 25, 2005, as a result of a political rivalry with Ashraf, whom he had previously defeated in the 2004 bypoll to the Prayagraj West seat.
Despite losing the election to Atiq Ahmad in 2002, Pal emerged victorious in the subsequent bypoll after Ahmad vacated the seat. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation into the case in 2016.
The Special Judge CBI, Lucknow, found Ranjeet Pal, Abid, Farhan Ahmad, Israr Ahmad, Javed, Gulhasan, and Abdul Kavi guilty of criminal conspiracy and murder, among other serious charges. Accused Farhan Ahmad was additionally held guilty under the Indian Arms Act.
The quantum of sentence will be pronounced soon. The accused have been held guilty under the charges of IPC 302 (murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), and 148 (rioting with armed weapons).
Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were killed in a sensational on-camera shooting on April 15 last year when assailants opened fire at them near a medical college in Prayagraj while in police custody. The shooting was caught on camera as mediapersons were following the duo being escorted to the hospital by the police for a medical checkup.
At least two people were seen firing from close range at Atiq Ahmad and Ashraf who fell to the ground, while police personnel overpowered the attackers.
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