Ashraf, the brother of Atiq Ahmed, moved from the Bareilly prison to Prayagraj.

Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, the younger brother of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, was moved from the Bareilly district jail to Prayagraj jail on Monday since the court’s decision in the abduction case against the two will be announced on March 28 in that city. After Ashraf’s attorney obtained a high court (HC) decision for the state to safeguard the prisoner’s safety during his transfer from Bareilly to Prayagraj, intense security was put in place to ensure a secure journey for Ashraf. The caravan departed from Bareilly at 10 am and arrived in Prayagraj at around 7 pm. From within Bareilly jail, Ashraf allegedly planned the murder of Umesh Pal, a lawyer who served as the key witness in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, in which Atiq is the main suspect. Ashraf also had regular contact with his brother, who was being held in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail. As part of their investigation into Umesh Pal’s murder, the Prayagraj police may decide to take custody of Ashraf. Ashraf has been transferred to Prayagraj, where the court will issue its ruling in a case against him. According to the court’s instructions, necessary arrangements were made to ensure his security, and eight officials, including a deputy superintendent of police rank officer and a police inspector, arrived from Prayagraj to escort him. Additionally, 16 other policemen from Bareilly joined the escorting team. While his brother Ashraf is charged in 52 cases, Atiq is named in 100 cases. Shaista, Atiq’s wife, is accused in three cases. Ali and Umar, the couple’s kids, each have four and one cases pending against them, according to the police. After Umesh Pal and his two gunners were killed on February 24 of this year, their names made headlines.