LUCKNOW: A special CBI court in Lucknow on Friday convicted seven people of the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005. The court awarded life terms to six convicts and fined them a total of Rs 11.6 lakh. One convict was not present in court and his sentence will be announced later.
Gangsters Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, who were murdered in Prayagraj last year, had allegedly planned Pal’s murder.Both were named accused in the case.
Pal and two aides were peppered with bullets in Prayagraj in Jan 2005. The murder was the fallout of a political rivalry that began with Pal’s 2004 assembly bypoll win from Prayagraj West by defeating Ashraf.
Killers should have been given death: Raju Pal’s wife
I am satisfied with the court’s decision. But these accused should have been given death sentence because an MLA was murdered in broad daylight,” Pal’s wife Pooja, an SP MLA, told PTI.
CBI had chargesheeted 10 people, including Atiq and Ashraf, in 2019 for the killings.
Those convicted on Friday are Abid, Farhan Ahmad, Javed, Ranjit, Gul Hasan, and Abdul Kavi. A seventh convict, Israr Ahmad, was not present in court. Another accused, Gulphool, alias Rafiq Ahmad, died during trial. A senior lawyer privy to the case said the court will issue a non-bailable warrant against Israr and announce his sentence when he appears before it.
The convicts were held guilty under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), and 148 (rioting with armed weapons). Farhan was given an additional sentence of four years in connection with a case under the Arms Act.
During the investigation, CBI had recorded the statements of eyewitnesses, including Raju’s associates, shopkeepers and bystanders. All had named 10 people, including Ashraf, as accused. Ashraf’s cellphone call records had confirmed his presence at the crime scene.
Seven people were given a clean chit by CBI — Ashiq alias Malli, Azaz Akhtar, Akbar, Dinesh Pasi, Guddu Muslim, Gufran Ahmad, and Mutaisan. They had earlier been chargesheeted by Prayagraj police and by UP CB-CID.
According to prosecution, assailants had intercepted Raju’s vehicle in Dhoomanganj and opened fire as the MLA was returning home with his associates. The killers came in two cars. Raju and his associates Devilal Pal and Sandeep Yadav were killed in the firing, while three others, Ruksana, Saif alias Saifulla, and Om Prakash Pal, suffered gunshot injuries.
On the same day, Raju’s wife, Pooja Pal, had lodged an FIR against Atiq, Ashraf and seven unidentified people at Dhoomanganj police station on charges of rioting, attempt to murder, murder and criminal conspiracy. Raju was killed nine days after marrying Pooja.
Prayagraj police had chargesheeted 11 people, including Atiq and Ashraf, in a local court on April 6, 2005. In Dec 2008, the then state govt transferred the case to UP CB-CID. The investigation was transferred to CBI in Jan 2016 on Supreme Court orders.
Raju had won Prayagraj West bypoll after Atiq vacated the seat on becoming Phulpur MP. He had defeated Atiq’s brother, Ashraf, who had contested on a Samajwadi Party ticket.
Gangsters Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, who were murdered in Prayagraj last year, had allegedly planned Pal’s murder.Both were named accused in the case.
Pal and two aides were peppered with bullets in Prayagraj in Jan 2005. The murder was the fallout of a political rivalry that began with Pal’s 2004 assembly bypoll win from Prayagraj West by defeating Ashraf.
Killers should have been given death: Raju Pal’s wife
I am satisfied with the court’s decision. But these accused should have been given death sentence because an MLA was murdered in broad daylight,” Pal’s wife Pooja, an SP MLA, told PTI.
CBI had chargesheeted 10 people, including Atiq and Ashraf, in 2019 for the killings.
Those convicted on Friday are Abid, Farhan Ahmad, Javed, Ranjit, Gul Hasan, and Abdul Kavi. A seventh convict, Israr Ahmad, was not present in court. Another accused, Gulphool, alias Rafiq Ahmad, died during trial. A senior lawyer privy to the case said the court will issue a non-bailable warrant against Israr and announce his sentence when he appears before it.
The convicts were held guilty under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting), and 148 (rioting with armed weapons). Farhan was given an additional sentence of four years in connection with a case under the Arms Act.
During the investigation, CBI had recorded the statements of eyewitnesses, including Raju’s associates, shopkeepers and bystanders. All had named 10 people, including Ashraf, as accused. Ashraf’s cellphone call records had confirmed his presence at the crime scene.
Seven people were given a clean chit by CBI — Ashiq alias Malli, Azaz Akhtar, Akbar, Dinesh Pasi, Guddu Muslim, Gufran Ahmad, and Mutaisan. They had earlier been chargesheeted by Prayagraj police and by UP CB-CID.
According to prosecution, assailants had intercepted Raju’s vehicle in Dhoomanganj and opened fire as the MLA was returning home with his associates. The killers came in two cars. Raju and his associates Devilal Pal and Sandeep Yadav were killed in the firing, while three others, Ruksana, Saif alias Saifulla, and Om Prakash Pal, suffered gunshot injuries.
On the same day, Raju’s wife, Pooja Pal, had lodged an FIR against Atiq, Ashraf and seven unidentified people at Dhoomanganj police station on charges of rioting, attempt to murder, murder and criminal conspiracy. Raju was killed nine days after marrying Pooja.
Prayagraj police had chargesheeted 11 people, including Atiq and Ashraf, in a local court on April 6, 2005. In Dec 2008, the then state govt transferred the case to UP CB-CID. The investigation was transferred to CBI in Jan 2016 on Supreme Court orders.
Raju had won Prayagraj West bypoll after Atiq vacated the seat on becoming Phulpur MP. He had defeated Atiq’s brother, Ashraf, who had contested on a Samajwadi Party ticket.
