Lucknow, April 2 : The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) in a joint operation with the Prayagraj Police have arrested Atiq Ahmed's brother-in-law, Akhlaq Ahmed from Meerut, in connection with the Umesh Pal murder case. According to the police, Akhlaq Ahmed had a key role in financing the shooters of Umesh Pal, who was a prime witness in the 2005 murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal. Police had earlier questioned Akhlaq Ahmed multiple times in the Umesh Pal murder case. He has now been arrested from Meerut, said a home department spokesman. Umesh Pal was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on February 24. Atiq Ahmed is the main accused in the murder case of BSP legislator Raju Pal, which took place in 2005. He is also accused of killing Umesh Pal, the prime witness of Raju Pal's murder. An MP-MLA court has held mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and two others guilty in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for life. This was Atiq Ahmed's first conviction even though more than 100 cases are registered against the former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP. Akhlaq Ahmed is the husband of Shaista Noori, Atiq Ahmed's sister, who went to Prayagraj with the mafia from Sabarmati Jail. She was also present at Bareilly Jail when the process to bring her younger brother Ashraf to Prayagraj began. Ashraf and six others have been acquitted in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case. Interestingly when Shaista Noori reached the Bareilly Jail to ensure the safety of her brother, the Prayagraj police arrested her husband Akhlaq Ahmed from Meerut. Akhlaq Ahmed had been on police radar for funding the shooters of Umesh Pal. /IANS