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Journalism of Courage
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed’s plea claiming threat to his life and seeking protection during his custody with Uttar Pradesh police in the Umesh Pal murder case. The court said the state machinery will take care of him, and that he is free to approach the High Court.
A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi declined to grant any relief to Ahmed, who contended that the faces threat to life and that he had been issued threats.
The counsel appearing for Ahmed said that it would mean a death warrant to him if the court rejected his petition. The bench, however, said it is not a matter that should be taken up by the Supreme Court, and that the petitioner should approach the HC.
The counsel said that he will move the HC and requested the bench to grant some protection until he does that. “I am not saying investigation should not happen, but only want my safety to be ensured,” the counsel submitted.
The court, however, did not offer any relief and observed that “the state machinery will take care of you”. Following this, Ahmed withdrew his petition and the court dismissed it as withdrawn.
A former Samajwadi Party MP, Ahmed is the prime accused in the murder of Umesh Pal, who was a key witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal. Ahmed was lodged in a jail in Gujarat since June 2019 and was brought to Naini Jail in Prayagraj, UP, on Monday for production before the court in connection with the case.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Prayagraj court held him guilty in the Umesh Pal kidnapping case.
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