Lucknow: Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has secured relief in one high profile case, yet he continues to battle a long list of criminal cases across Uttar Pradesh. A special MP MLA magistrate court in Rampur recently acquitted him in a 2017 case involving his alleged objectionable remark on the Indian Army, but more than one hundred other cases remain pending in courts.
The case dates back to 2017 when Azam Khan allegedly made a controversial comment about Army personnel during a public interaction, triggering sharp political reactions. BJP MLA Akash Saxena filed a complaint accusing Khan of insulting the Army and lowering the morale of soldiers.
After years of hearings, the special court examined evidence and arguments from both sides before ruling in Khan’s favour. The judge held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The verdict has come as a significant breather for the veteran SP leader who has been in and out of courtrooms over the last several years.
Long list of pending cases
Despite the acquittal, Azam Khan’s legal battles are far from easing. Around 104 criminal cases have reportedly been filed against him, with more than 90 registered in his stronghold Rampur. These cases range from land grabbing and encroachment to criminal intimidation and misuse of official authority.
A large number of cases relate to alleged illegal land acquisition linked to Jauhar University and other properties. Authorities have accused him of encroaching on enemy property, forcibly taking over farmers’ land and misusing government land. Many of these cases are being heard in trial courts and the high court, and their outcomes will play a decisive role in shaping his political future.
In addition to land related cases, Azam Khan faces charges of fraud and forgery involving alleged manipulation of official documents. Some cases pertain to alleged irregularities in birth certificates and identity documents of family members. Trial courts have delivered convictions in a few matters, though appeals are pending.
There are also cases involving unusual allegations for a senior political leader, including complaints of theft of goats and buffaloes. Other cases accuse him of looting, tampering with government records, delivering provocative speeches and disturbing communal harmony. These cases are being heard before magistrate and sessions courts, adding to the heavy legal burden on the SP leader.
Judgments have been delivered in only a small number of the more than one hundred cases against him. In several matters, courts have convicted Azam Khan, leading to prison sentences for him and at times his son. However, many of these convictions have been challenged in higher courts, keeping the legal process active and his final culpability unresolved.
The cumulative effect of these cases has been politically damaging for the three time MP and multiple term MLA who once wielded considerable influence within the Samajwadi Party. While the recent acquittal in the Army remark case has provided temporary relief, the larger legal challenges involving land disputes, forgery allegations and other criminal complaints continue to cast a shadow over his career.
For now, Azam Khan’s legal journey remains far from over as courts across Uttar Pradesh continue to hear cases that could determine the future trajectory of one of the state’s most prominent political figures.
