Uttar Pradesh’s mafia don-turned-former MP Atiq Ahmed has moved the Supreme Court against shifting him to Prayagraj from Sabarmati jail in a case connected with the killing of a witness in an open shooting incident. Ahmed apprehends a threat to his life in an encounter by the police.

Ahmed, in a plea, contended that some local leaders had conspired the murder plan of the deceased Umesh Pal who is a complainant in a case against the petitioner in which his evidence got recorded six years ago.

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Umesh Pal, one of the witnesses, was killed on February 25 in Prayagraj in which the wife of Ahmed, all four sons and brother have been roped in as accused of “mere suspicion”.

The plea further added that there is no motive for the petitioner to kill Umesh Pal because the trial is going to end next month and the court would decide the case after arguments are concluded.

Ahmad said he was a five-time consecutive time MLA and one-time elected MP and argued that some leaders in Uttar Pradesh government could not accept the induction of his wife in Bahujan Samaj Party, and her name in mayoral elections as BSP candidate, as they know their fate in local bodies election and also in forthcoming general election in 2024.

The plea said: “After the murder of Umesh Pal, the opposition put fuel on the fire… which provoked the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to say he would finish mafia (me) ‘mafia ko mitti me mila doonga’ because the petitioner was the main subject in argument in house.”

“This statement of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has strengthened the devious plan of some police officers who are playing in the hands of political rivals of petitioner. They are planning to eliminate the petitioner and his brother in transit between jail to court. In the past three years some incidents like this happened in Uttar Pradesh by the UP Police,” the plea contended.

The petitioner sought directions to protect his life and also to ensure that no physical or bodily injury or harm is done to him in any manner whatsoever during police custody/ remand/ questioning.

Ahmed and his brother, along with several others were named as the accused in the murder case of Raju Pal, then BSP legislator from Allahabad (West) constituency.