The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in a case involving the alleged forced eviction of residents from Rampur’s Dungarpur colony. Khan’s bail was approved by Justice Sameer Jain after the senior SP leader moved the high court, challenging his conviction and 10-year jail sentence handed down by an MP/MLA court in Rampur.
The High Court had earlier reserved its decision on the appeals filed by both Azam Khan and contractor Barkat Ali, who was also convicted in the same case and sentenced to seven years in prison.
The MP/MLA court had convicted Khan on May 30 last year, prompting him to approach the High Court for relief.
About the case
The case originated from a complaint filed by a man named Abrar in August 2019 at the Ganj police station in Rampur. He accused Azam Khan, former police circle officer Ale Hasan Khan and Barkat Ali of assaulting him and threatening his life during a demolition in December 2016.
Besides, residents of Dungarpur colony lodged 12 separate cases related to the alleged eviction, accusing the group of robbery, theft and physical assault.
Will Azam Khan move out of the jail?
Although the bail application has been approved, Azam Khan will not be able to come out of jail yet. The reason for this is that his bail application is pending in another case against him. The hearing in the criminal appeal related to the well-known Dungarpur case in Rampur is still ongoing in the High Court.
Who is Azam Khan?
Azam Khan is an Indian politician and a senior leader of the Samajwadi Party. He has served multiple terms as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur. He has also held various ministerial positions in the state government. Known for his fiery speeches and controversies, he is a prominent Muslim leader in Uttar Pradesh politics. He has also faced several legal issues, including criminal cases related to land encroachment and hate speech.
