Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) has arrested the brother-in-law of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed for sheltering and providing money to the killers of Umesh Pal -- the key witness in the murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal.

Akhlaq Ahmed, a government doctor, was arrested from Nauchandi area here by an STF team last night and taken to Prayagraj, Superintendent of Police, STF, Brijesh Singh said on Sunday.

Umesh Pal and his police security guards Sandeep Nishad and Raghvendra Singh were shot dead on February 24 outside his home in Prayagraj's Dhoomanganj.

Based on a complaint lodged by Umesh Pal's wife Jaya Pal, a case was registered at Dhoomanganj police station against Atiq Ahmed, his brother Ashraf, wife Shaista Parveen, two sons, aides Guddu Muslim and Ghulam, and nine others.

Akhlaq Ahmed, posted at the Abdullapur Community Health Centre, not only provided shelter to the killers of Umesh Pal but also money when they reached Meerut after the murder, sources said.

On March 28, an MP-MLA court in Prayagraj held Atiq Ahmed and two others guilty in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for life. Ashraf and six others were acquitted by the court.

This is Atiq Ahmad's first conviction even though more than 100 cases were registered against the former Samajwadi Party MP over the years.

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