In a significant development, the Rampur MP/MLA court on Monday handed down a seven-year prison sentence to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan in connection with the Dungarpur incident.
Additionally, three other convicts received five years imprisonment each.
The court had previously convicted Azam Khan, former Municipal President Azhar Ahmed Khan, retired CO Ale Hasan, and contractor Barkat Ali on Saturday.
The case dates back to 2019 when 12 cases were registered during the eviction of Dungarpur colony. Among these cases, one was filed by Ehtesham, a resident of the colony. Azam Khan was accused of criminal conspiracy, while others faced charges including breaking into houses, assault, intimidation, and robbery.
The trial concluded in the MP-MLA Sessions Court in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on March 4, culminating in the conviction of the four accused, including Azam Khan. During Monday's sentencing, Azam Khan received seven years prison sentence, while the other three received five years each.
SP state secretary Omendra Singh Chauhan and Jibran Nasir, Farman Nasir, who were also implicated, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Presently, Azam Khan is detained in Sitapur, while former municipal president Azhar Ahmed Khan is in Bijnor jail.
Ehtesham, the complainant from Dungarpur Basti, alleged that Azam Khan and the accused, along with CO Ale Hasan, forcibly entered his house, leading to assault and intimidation.
Although robbery charges were leveled, they could not be substantiated. The prosecution presented 14 witnesses, including Ehtesham, to corroborate their case.
Meanwhile, Azam Khan and the other accused presented documentary evidence indicating that the disputed land was registered as a dumping ground in municipal records. However, no oral evidence was provided by the defence.
This verdict comes in the wake of another case related to Dungarpur, where Azam Khan and others were acquitted on January 31, 2024, due to lack of evidence.
