Latest news with #AtiqAhmed
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Pooja Pal Meets Yogi Adityanath Days After Being Ousted From Samajwadi Party
Expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Pooja Pal on Saturday met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence in Lucknow. The meeting comes after Pal was expelled from the Samajwadi Party by Chief Akhilesh Yadav for praising CM Yogi Adityanath during the UP Assembly session. Samajwadi Party expelled her from the party, citing anti-party activities and indiscipline. "You have carried out anti-party activities, and even after being warned, you did not stop these activities, due to which the party has suffered a lot. The work done by you is anti-party and a serious act of indiscipline. Hence, you are expelled from Samajwadi Party with immediate effect," read the letter of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav addressed to Pooja Pal. Earlier, while speaking in the UP Assembly, Pooja Pal, whose husband Raju Pal was shot dead by Atiq Ahmed and his associate, thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the zero-tolerance policy against crime that improved law and order in the state. The SP MLA said that the UP CM gave her justice by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Speaking at the Assembly's 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047,' Pooja Pal said, "Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju Pal). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did. The CM 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 the CM with trust," she said. Praising CM Yogi, she said, "Mere pati ke hatyare Atiq Ahmed ko Mukhya Mantri ne mitti mein milaane ka kaam kiya' (The Chief Minister has buried my husband's murderer Atiq Ahmed." She further said," I raised my voice when I saw that no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed. When I started getting exhausted with this fight, CM Yogi Adityanath gave me justice." BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj in 2005, days after his wedding with Pooja Pal. In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder, was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area. The expulsion of Pooja Pal for alleged anti-party activities and indiscipline drew sharp criticism from several Uttar Pradesh ministers, who accused the party of being intolerant of differing views and disrespectful towards women.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
After she praises Yogi, Samajwadi Party expels MLA Pooja Pal
After Samajwadi Party MLA from Chail Pooja Pal showered praises on chief minister Yogi Adityanath for bringing the killers of her husband Raju Pal to justice, she was expelled by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday for 'anti-party' activities and indiscipline. Pooja Pal. (HT Photo) The letter issued by the SP chief read, 'You have been involved in anti-party activities, however, you didn't stop it even after being warned, which has caused damage to the party. The work done by you is against the party and serious indiscipline, hence you are being expelled from the party with immediate effect. At the same time, you are also being relieved from all the posts of the party.' Pooja Pal was earlier in the news when she had cross-voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh in February 2024. In June, the SP had expelled three rebel MLAs for cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls but spared Pooja Pal then. After her expulsion, Pooja Pal said to the media, 'Perhaps you could not hear the women in Prayagraj, who were even more worried than me. But I am their voice, I have been elected as an MLA and sent to the assembly. I am the voice of mothers and sisters who have lost their loved ones. They have sent me here. All people in Prayagraj, who were disturbed due to Atiq Ahmed, have been given justice by the CM, not just to Pooja Pal. I have been saying this from day one, even when I was in the party.' 'I have been expelled today. I stand by my statement even today. I became an MLA later but I am a victim woman first, a wife could not stand the incident that occurred with us. They speak of PDA. I, too, belong to a backward community, I was troubled, I stepped out of my house because my husband was killed in broad daylight. They have proven that they are completely against PDA,' she said. Pooja Pal, who participated in the 24-hour discussion in the assembly on the Vision Document 2047 by the BJP government, had said during her speech that chief minister Yogi Adityanath gave justice to many women like her. 'Everyone knows who murdered my husband. I want to thank the chief minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did. The CM 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. 'Mere pati ke hatyare Atiq Ahmed ko Mukhya Mantri ne mitti mein milaane ka kaam kiya'... I raised my voice when I saw that no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed... When I started getting exhausted with this fight, CM Yogi Adityanath gave me justice,' Pooja Pal had said in the state assembly earlier on Wednesday. Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak attacked the Samajwadi Party for expelling Pooja Pal on the eve of Independence Day. 'To be expelled on the eve of Independence Day for supporting the vision of Viksit Bharat in the House, shows the poor thinking of the Samajwadi Party. The House unanimously accepted that the Samajwadi Party's policy is anti-woman,' Pathak said
India.com
5 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Samajwadi Party Expels MLA Pooja Pal After She Heaped Praise On CM Yogi In UP Assembly
Samajwadi Party expelled MLA Pooja Pal for "anti-party activities" and indiscipline after she praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for zero-tolerance policy against crime that improved law and order in the state. The former SP MLA's husband Raju Pal was shot dead by Atiq Ahmed and his associate. Addressing during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the UP Assembly, she said that the UP CM gave her justice by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Uttar Pradesh | Samajwadi Party expels its MLA Pooja Pal for anti-party activities and indiscipline. — ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025 "Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju Pal). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did. The CM 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 the CM with trust," she said. "The Chief Minister has buried my husband's murderer Atiq Ahmed. I raised my voice when I saw that no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed. When I started getting exhausted with this fight, CM Yogi Adityanath gave me justice," she added. #WATCH | Lucknow, UP | Addressing during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the UP Assembly, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal says, "... Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave justice to many women like me by bringing in policies such as zero tolerance that… — ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025 Raju Pal Murder Case BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj in 2005, days after his wedding with Pooja Pal. In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder, was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area. Several rounds were fired, and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners. Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad were the prime accused and were arrested by the police. On April 15, 2023, they were shot dead by men posing as press persons on the night of April 15 while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Akhilesh Yadav sacks SP MLA Pooja Pal after she praised Yogi Adityanath for justice in husband's murder case
The Samajwadi Party on Thursday expelled MLA Pooja Pal for anti-party activities and indiscipline, days after she praised Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his zero-tolerance policy against crime and the resulting improvement in the state's law and order. The development came hours after Pooja thanked the Chief Minister for "listening to her when no one else did" over her husband's murder. Pooja Pal, whose husband Raju Pal was shot dead by Atiq Ahmed and his associate, had thanked Yogi Adityanath for zero-tolerance policy against crime that improved law and order in the state. The expulsion sparked a political uproar, with the ruling BJP accusing the opposition of being 'anti-Dalit.' In a statement in Hindi, Mr. Yadav said Pooja Pal 'is no longer allowed to attend any party programmes and will not be invited to them in the future.' The SP MLA had said that the UP CM gave her justice by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Speaking at the UP Assembly during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047,' Pooja Pal said, "Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju Pal). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did. The CM 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 the CM with trust," she said.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Akhilesh Yadav Sacks MLA Who Praised Yogi Adityanath For Justice In Husband's Murder
Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Pooja Pal was expelled from the party on Thursday, hours after she thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for " delivering justice" in her husband's murder case and praised him for bringing in policies with zero tolerance against criminals. In an official statement in Hindi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said Ms Pooja, whose husband Raju Pal was shot dead by gangster Atiq Ahmed in 2005, was "immediately expelled" from the party due to her engagement in "anti-party activities and serious indiscipline which continued despite prior warnings and caused significant harm to the party". "She is no longer permitted to participate in any party programs and will not be invited to them in the future," the statement said. The development came hours after Ms Pooja thanked the Chief Minister for "listening to her when no one else did". Speaking in the Uttar Pradesh assembly during a 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047', Ms Pooja said: "Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did." She added: "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." Former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal was shot dead on January 25, 2005, days after he married Ms Pooja. The murder, police said, was a result of political rivalry with gangster Atiq Ahmed's brother Ashraf, whom Raju had defeated in the 2004 bypoll to the Prayagraj West seat. In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case, was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area. Days later, Atiq and Ashraf - both of whom were arrested - were shot dead by three men when they were being taken for a medical check-up in Prayagraj. Atiq was shot in the head from behind, nearly at point-blank range. Ashraf, too, was shot dead, as the murder was captured on camera. This came days after Atiq's son Asad was killed in an alleged encounter in Jhansi. All three men were later arrested. "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)," Ms Pooja told the House. "I raised my voice when I saw that no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed. When I started feeling exhausted with this fight, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave me justice," she added. Raju had lost the election from the Prayagraj West seat to Atiq in 2002 but when the latter vacated it after being elected to the Lok Sabha, Raju defeated Ashraf in the bypoll. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe into the murder case in 2016. In 2024, a CBI court convicted seven people - Ranjeet Pal, Abid, Farhan Ahmad, Israr Ahmad, Javed, Gulhasan, and Abdul Kavi - guilty in the case for criminal conspiracy and murder among other charges. Farhan was also held guilty under the Indian Arms Act. Meanwhile, a judicial commission formed to probe the gangsters' murders ruled out the possibility of a "pre-planned conspiracy" or "police negligence". The state government also informed the Supreme Court that it is "leaving no stone unturned to ensure a fair and impartial investigation" into the killings.
