Atiq Ahmed can do anything, even from jail: Umesh Pal's mother

Umesh Pal's mother warned that despite his imprisonment, Atiq could do 'anything even from jail'

Mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed was on Tuesday sentenced to life for the kidnapping and torture of Umesh Pal, but Pal's mother believes the punishment isn't severe enough and has called for a death sentence.

According to a report by The Times of India, Pal's mother Shanti Devi, in the aftermath of the verdict, said that she had "full faith" in the country's judiciary. However, she warned that Ahmed, a former SP MLA and MP, could do "anything even from jail" and called for a death sentence for the former don.

"I request the court to award him capital punishment for getting my son killed," Devi was quoted as saying by TOI in reference to Pal's murder last month.

Notably, this is the first of 52 cases against Atiq in which the former lawmaker has been convicted after the case went to trial.

Umesh Pal was a key witness in the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005, a case in which Atiq was the prime suspect.

At the time, Umesh had signed an affidavit stating that he had not been present at the spot where the BSP MLA was killed.

However, a year later, Umesh lodged an FIR with the police, alleging that he had been coerced into signing said affidavit after being kidnapped at gunpoint by Atiq's goons, thereby blowing the case wide open.

Last month, however, Umesh was gunned down in broad daylight in Prayagraj.