Revoking his membership, UP Bar banned the Atique’ lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif for life. Khan Saulat Hanif is currently lodged in Naini Central Jail serving life sentence. He is convicted in Umesh Pal kidnapping case.
Authorities held a criminal proceeding against Hanif on the complaint of his wife Jaya Pal after the murder of Umesh Pal. Jaya Pal had demanded the Bar Council to cancel Saulat Hanif’s membership and bar him from practicing law
In a letter sent to the Bar Council, Jaya Pal said that Khan Saulat has been an active member of mafia Atiq’s gang IS-227.
The Bar Council Committee investigated the entire matter and after hearing all the parties, found Saulat Hanif guilty of professional misconduct
After this, a unanimous decision was taken to cancel Saulat’s membership
Umesh Pal was murdered on 24 February 2023. He was a witness in the MLA Raju Pal murder case. Pal had filed a case against Khan Saulat apart from Atiq Ahmed and his other associates for kidnapping. Umesh claimed of threatening and beating to change the testimony
Umesh Pal was murdered just a few days before the court’s decision
Atiq’s lawyer Saulat Hanif has also been made an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case
The decision taken by a two-member committee on June 22 took the decision to cancel Khan Saulat Hanif Membership.
