Prayagraj, Jun 24 (IANS): The lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif who oversaw the legal issues of slain gangster Atiq Ahmad, has now been declared a history sheeter by the Dhumanganj Police in Prayagraj.

The UP Bar Council had also cancelled the licence of the lawyer.

Khan Saulat Hanif is in jail and was sentenced to life imprisonment for abduction and assault on lawyer Umesh Pal who was killed on February 24, 2023. Khan Saulat has four cases registered against him.

Earlier police had opened history sheets of Atiq’s sons Umar and Ali besides Ashraf’s brothers-in-law Zaid and Saddam.

Lawyer Khan Saulat Hanif was one of the close aides of Atiq Ahmed and was a member of his gang IS-227.

Police officials said that after opening his history sheet, police will keep a strict watch on his activities even if he is released from jail.

Lodged in Naini Central Jail, Khan Saulat Hanif is now a B-category history-sheeter and his history sheet number is 62-B. B-category history sheets are closed only after the death of the history sheeter.

ACP Dhumanganj, Varun Kumar, said the B-category history sheet of Khan Saulat Hanif has been opened. Police will keep a strict eye on his activities, he added. Even if he gets bail, Khan Saulat will have to appear at the police station regularly. In case he fails to produce himself at the police station, cops will reach his house for verification.

The lawyer has four cases registered against him which include a case of Arms Act.

In the case of the abduction of lawyer Umesh Pal, Khan Saulat Hanif has been sentenced to life term while the trial is pending in the other three cases.

He is also an accused in the murder of lawyer Umesh Pal and a chargesheet has been filed against him.

The police investigation has revealed that he had sent photographs of Umesh Pal to Atiq’s son Asad and other assailants. Moreover, he also alerted them when Umesh Pal left the court on February 24.

Khan Saulat Hanif was taken in police remand for questioning in the Umesh Pal murder case and on his confession, police recovered an automatic pistol from his house.

He informed the police that Atiq had given him the firearm for safety.

Khan Saulat used to pursue cases against Atiq and his aides. Moreover, after Atiq was sent to jail, Khan Saulat used to keep records of Atiq’s income from his illegal activities at the behest of Atiq’s wife Shaista Parveen.