New Delhi: Slapped with 26 fresh cases of land grabbing, Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan has got involved in yet another multi-crore land scam. On July 29, the UP Irrigation Department served him a notice, alleging that Khan's luxury resort, Humsafar, located in Rampur, is built on land owned by the state government.
Allegations of irregularities have been raised by the district administration regarding possession of the huge chunk of government land on which the guest house was constructed. Azam Khan, a former UP Cabinet Minister, has been declared land mafia following a series of cases registered against him in connection with grabbing government or agricultural land owned by poor farmers.
The Enforcement Department is also enquiring into alleged money laundering charges related to donations from abroad in account of Khan's private University. The ED has sought a list of cases registered against Azam Khan from Rampur police. Meanwhile, the state police has given three-day ultimatum to Azam Khan's staff to furnish details of all land deals connected with Mohammed Ali Jauhar University.
Speaking to the IANS, Suprintendent of Police(Rampur) Ajay Pal Sharma said the police have sought the revenue records, payment receipts and land agreements with different parties from whom the land, running into several hundred crores, was purchased. "We need to investigate the sale deeds and verify authentic documents to ascertain the actual seller. We also want to asses the accounts through which the payments were made. The parties which received the payments have to be authenticated," said the SP.
Sources in the police said that apprehending arrest, Azam Khan has not visited Rampur for the past one month. "For the first time in the recent years, Azam Khan has not been seen in his constituency for so many days, " said a police official . Azam(70), has been an MLA from Rampur for nine terms. He was first elected on a Janta Dal (Secular) ticket from Rampur in 1980. He has been cabinet minister in UP several times.
