In an attempt to arrest Atiq Ahmed, the absconding Samajwadi Party MP wanted for threatening a witness in a murder case, the Allahabad police have released a poster showing him in seven different disguises.

The poster was made to show how Ahmed would look in disguise. It was meant for the police, but had been released to the public by mistake, said Allahabad DIG BP Jogdand.

But since footage of it had been flashed on television channels, the police are now hoping to turn the incident to their advantage by pasting the posters at all public places. They even plan to send the posters to other states.

Allahabad SSP Dipesh Juneja said: “After we failed to find him, we issued these posters. So if he tries to give us the slip in disguise, he can be caught.” Reacting promptly, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav announced: “Atiq is no more with us.” He said in Faizabad: “The party has no space for criminals and anti-socials.”

Ahmed has been declared an absconder for threatening a witness in the murder case of BSP legislator Raju Pal, who was shot dead in Allahabad in January 2005. He is also accused of conspiring in Pal’s murder.

A Lok Sabha MP from Phulpur, Ahmed has several criminal cases pending against him, including kidnapping, murder and extortion. His brother Ashraf Ahmed, a former SP MLA from Allahabad, is also allegedly involved in Pal’s murder and has been charged with threatening the witness.

(With inputs from Arshad Afzal Khan)