Pooja Pal Thanks Yogi Adityanath for Justice in Husband’s Murder Case
Lucknow, August 14: In a rare gesture crossing party lines, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal expressed heartfelt gratitude to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for delivering justice in the high-profile murder case of her husband, former Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal. Speaking in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly during a 24-hour marathon discussion on the ‘Vision Document 2047,’ Pooja Pal credited the CM’s zero-tolerance policy against criminals for bringing closure to her decades-long fight.
Raju Pal was gunned down on January 25, 2005, in Prayagraj, barely days after marrying Pooja Pal. The killing was allegedly orchestrated by gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf, a fallout of intense political rivalry. Raju had defeated Ashraf in the 2004 bypoll to the Prayagraj West seat after Atiq vacated it for his Lok Sabha run, an event that reportedly enraged the gangster’s network.
“CM Buried My Husband’s Murderer”
While addressing the House, Pooja Pal said, “Mere pati ke hatyare Atiq Ahmed ko mukhya mantri ne mitti mein milaane ka kaam kiya” (The Chief Minister buried my husband’s murderer Atiq Ahmed). She recalled how her pleas for justice had gone unheard for years, until Yogi Adityanath took decisive action against criminal syndicates in the state.
“I raised my voice when I saw no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed. When I started feeling exhausted in this fight, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave me justice,” she stated, drawing attention from both treasury and opposition benches.
The Long Road to Justice
The Raju Pal murder case remained mired in legal and political complexities for years. It was only in 2016 that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe. In 2024, a CBI court convicted seven accused—Ranjeet Pal, Abid, Farhan Ahmad, Israr Ahmad, Javed, Gulhasan, and Abdul Kavi—of criminal conspiracy and murder. Farhan was also found guilty under the Indian Arms Act.
The trial’s breakthrough came amidst heightened law enforcement action against Atiq Ahmed’s criminal empire. In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case, was shot dead in Prayagraj’s Sulem Saray area. This triggered a series of encounters and arrests targeting the gangster’s network.
Gangster Brothers Killed in Dramatic Shootout
On April 15, 2023, Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists. The shooting occurred while they were being escorted by police for a medical check-up in Prayagraj, and was captured live on camera. Just days earlier, Atiq’s son Asad was killed in an alleged encounter in Jhansi.
The Uttar Pradesh government ordered a high-level investigation into the killings. A judicial commission later ruled out any “pre-planned conspiracy” or “police negligence” in the incident. The state government also assured the Supreme Court that every step was being taken to ensure a fair and impartial probe.
Yogi’s Zero-Tolerance Policy in Focus
Pooja Pal’s statement has further spotlighted Yogi Adityanath’s aggressive law-and-order stance, which he has described as a “zero-tolerance” approach toward organized crime. Under his leadership, Uttar Pradesh has seen a surge in crackdowns, property seizures, and encounters targeting known gangsters.
“The Chief Minister gave justice to many other women like me in Prayagraj by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Today, the entire state looks at him with trust,” Pooja Pal said in the Assembly.
Political analysts note that such cross-party praise is unusual, particularly between the BJP-led government and the Samajwadi Party, but it underscores the emotional and personal nature of the justice delivered in this case.
Public Reaction and Political Impact
The public reaction to Pooja Pal’s remarks has been mixed. Supporters of Yogi Adityanath see it as a validation of his crime-control measures, while critics argue that extra-judicial killings remain a contentious tool of governance. Nonetheless, the elimination of Atiq Ahmed and his network has significantly altered Prayagraj’s political and criminal landscape.
With the Vision Document 2047 discussions underway, the exchange has also added a human dimension to policy debates, reminding lawmakers that law and order reforms can have deeply personal consequences for citizens who have long sought justice.
