After nineteen years since the killing of former Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal in 2005, a special CBI court in Lucknow on Friday convicted seven people in the case. Back in 2016, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe.
The list of convicted persons included Farhaan Ahmad, Abdul Kavi, Ranjeet Pal, Israr Ahmad, Javed, Gulhasan and Abid. As per reports, accused Farhan Ahmad was additionally held guilty under the Indian Arms Act.
Furthermore, murdered gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad's name was also included in the list of accused. However, following the death of Ahmad, his brother and prime accused Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, and Gulbul alias Rafiq, the legal proceedings against them were abated.
About BSP MLA Raju Pal
Back in 2005, Raju Pal, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, was gunned down due to having political rivalry with gangster Atiq Ahmad's brother Ashraf, whom he had defeated in the 2004 bypoll to the Prayagraj West seat.
In 2002, Raju Pal had lost the election to Atiq Ahmad. But, when Ahmad vacated it after being elected to the Lok Sabha, Raju Pal defeated Ashraf in the bypoll.
Gangster Atiq Ahmad murder case
On April 15 last year, jailed gangster Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were killed in a shooting as the assailants opened fire at them. The incident took place near a medical college in Prayagraj while they were being taken to the hospital by the police for a medical checkup.
