Rajesh Pandey
The Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh has cancelled the registration of slain gangster Atiq’s Ahmed’s lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif, who was awarded life term by a trial court in Prayagraj, along with Atiq, in Umesh Pal kidnapping case. The action was taken following the application moved by Jaya Pal, wife of Umesh Pal seeking cancellation of Hanif’s law practice licence and debarring him to appear before the court.
According to ex-chairman of bar council and present member of Bar Council Janki Sharan Pandey, now the advocate’s licence of Haniq stands cancelled and he is debarred from appearing before any court across the country, as his involvement in criminal act amounted to ‘professional misconduct’.
Atiq’s lawyer – Khan Saulat Haniq was awarded life term along with Atiq Ahmed and another in Umesh Pal abduction case on March 28, 2023, by the MP-MLA court at Prayagraj and has been lodged in Naini Central Jail since then. The court had noted that there was sufficient evidence, which proved involvement of Hanif in this abduction case.
Following the complaint moved by Jaya Pal, wife of Umesh Pal, the bar council had set up a committee, which thoroughly probed the every aspect of the matter and found the act of Khan Saulat Hanif in Umesh Pal abduction case as a case of committing ‘professional misconduct’. Therefore, it was agreed to cancel his advocate’s registration forthwith.
Atiq, his brother Ashraf, Dinesh Pasi and others were accused in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case of 2005. Umesh Pal was a witness in this case. It is alleged that Umesh Pal was abducted and was compelled to retract his statement. On March 28, 2023, Khan Shaulat was sent to jail along with his client Atiq after the court found that he went a step ahead and became a part of the crime.
During trial, the court found that Hanif had prepared the document for changing statement and also was present along with the abductors during the course of incident. Taking into account, these evidences, the trial court had awarded life term to Khan Saulat Hanif along with Atiq Ahmad.
Khan Saulat Hanif worked as a lawyer of Atiq Ahmad from trial court, high court and even upto the supreme court. He filed Vakalatnama in every case relating to Atiq Ahmad and engaged the senior counsels as and when the circumstances arose.
