SP legislator gets life term for murder

A first time legislator,Haq was elected from Moradabad dehat in 2007. According to the prosecution,on September 20,2000,Mohajim was visiting his married sister in Allahpur-Bikhalpur village in Moradabad,when he complained of chest pain.

His sister Naushaba and brother Musharraf were taking him to hospital on a motorcycle,when Munazir — one of the convicts — offered them a lift in his Maruti. When the vehicle reached the Gaagan river crossing on the Sambal-Moradabad Highway,some men in a Gypsy stopped the car and shot Mohajim dead.

Musharraf lodged an FIR against five persons,including Haq,at the Mainather police station. Four persons were arrested and sent to jail. Haq later surrendered in court.

After four months,the Allahabad High Court granted them bail. During investigation,the police found Naushad,an associate of Haq,had allegedly been informing the accused about the victim’s movements. The police,however,failed to find evidence against him and he was acquitted. “There were seven witnesses in the case,but the statements of the victim’s brother and sister were crucial since they were witness to the murder,” said prosecution lawyer MP Singh.

He added that the murder was well-planned. Naushad had brought his Maruti deliberately to carry Mohajim to the hospital and when the killers stopped the car,he managed to escape. “I still remember how my brother was killed. I was sitting next to him,when the miscreants,carrying guns,approached. Before my sister or I could react,they riddled him with bullets,” said Musharraf.

“Haq and Athar Hussain submitted an affidavit to the investigating officer,stating that on the day of murder,they were in the Allahabad High Court. But during investigation,their claim was found false,” said Singh. Mohajim,he said,was an accused in the murder of the legislator’s father Rizwan-Ul-Haq,who was also a MLA from Moradabad.

Advocate Gyanendra Sharma,who appeared on behalf of Haq,said they will appeal in the Allahabad High Court.