After Umesh Pal Murder In Prayagraj, Picture War Between BJP, SP Over Accused
A photo war has broken out between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the main opposition Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh regarding Sadaqat Khan, who is said to be the main conspirator in the Umesh Pal murder case in Prayagraj.
An undated picture of Sadaqat Khan with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was shared by BJP leaders on Twitter. The Samajwadi Party also shared a picture of Sadaqat in which he is seen with BJP MLA Neelam Karwariya’s husband Uday Bhan Karwariya. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of these pictures.
Describing the Samajwadi Party a “nursery of criminals”, UP deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said the government has “zero tolerance” against crime.
“Our government has a zero tolerance against crime. The whole state knows that the Samajwadi Party is a nursery of criminals. But we are committed to ensure that no matter what reach any criminal has, we will not spare that person,” Pathak said.
UP BJP MLA Sidharth Nath Singh alleged the Samajwadi Party has protected people like him. “They let a sapling become a huge banyan tree. Nobody should be surprised if such things come out. The SP should answer how many criminals have they nurtured,” news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying.
Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav claimed that anyone can come up and get a photo clicked with a public official.
SP’s Ameeque Jamei also shared an image of Sadaqat with former BJP MLA Uday Bhan Karwariya.
“Sadaqat was currently a member of the BJP whose photo is being linked with the SP. Sadaqat’s photo with Neelam’s husband Udaybhan Karwariya at former BJP MLA Neelam Karwariya’s house shows the connection of this incident with the BJP. Even before this, a BJP leader Rahil, the mastermind of this case has been caught,” Jamei tweeted.
The Special Task Force has arrested Sadaqat from Gorakhpur and handed him over to the Prayagraj Police. It is alleged that he has been close to Atiq Ahmed’s family. According to police sources, Sadaqat was living illegally in the Muslim Boarding House, a hostel of Allahabad University. The conspiracy to kill Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the sensational 2005 murder of a sitting lawmaker, was hatched in his room.
On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police gunned down a 24-year-old man who was wanted for his alleged role in the killing of Umesh Pal, the prime witness in the sensational 2005 murder of a sitting lawmaker, in a controversial encounter.
The police said Mohammed Arbaaz was riding a motorcycle near Nehru Park in Prayagraj when he was surrounded by police and asked to surrender. “But he opened fire at the police, which retaliated and killed him,” said commissioner of police, Prayagraj, Ramit Sharma.
But the death sparked controversy, with the Samajwadi Party questioning the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “tall claims” of having rid Uttar Pradesh of criminals. The ruling party hit back, saying there was no place for “mafia” in the state.
The encounter occurred 72 hours after Umesh Pal and his police guard Sandeep Nishad were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj. The other police guard is in critical condition. Umesh was the prime witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party legislator Raju Pal, and former MP Atiq and his younger brother Khalid Azeem alias Ashraf were the prime accused in the case.