The court rules that the prosecution has failed to produce sufficient proof to establish the charges against the Samajwadi Party leader
LUCKNOW/RAMPUR — Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister Azam Khan has received major relief from a special court in Rampur, which acquitted him in an eight-year-old case related to a controversial remark allegedly made about the Indian Army.
The case, filed in 2017 by BJP leader and current MLA Aakash Saxena, had accused Khan of making an objectionable comment about soldiers during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign. The complaint was filed on 30 June 2017 at the Civil Lines police station in Rampur.
The matter was being heard in the MP/MLA Special Court (Magistrate Trial). After examining all evidence and hearing arguments from both sides, the court on Thursday ruled that the prosecution had failed to produce sufficient proof to establish the charges.
Khan’s appearance was recorded through video conferencing, as per court procedure. The court said the allegations could not be substantiated, leading to his acquittal.
According to the complaint, Azam Khan was addressing party workers at the Samajwadi Party office during the 2017 Assembly election campaign when he allegedly made remarks that were described as insulting to the army. Following the police investigation, a chargesheet was filed against him.
However, after nearly eight years of proceedings, the court has now concluded that the evidence was inadequate.
Speaking to reporters, Azam Khan’s lawyer Mohammad Arfeen said the allegations were “baseless and politically motivated.”
He added, “The accusation was that Azam Khan made an objectionable and controversial statement about the army, which was projected as an insult to soldiers. Today, the court has acquitted him, which proves there was no solid evidence.”
The acquittal carries political importance ahead of the upcoming panchayat and assembly elections. Azam Khan, once considered one of the tallest Muslim political figures in Uttar Pradesh, has been facing numerous cases over the past few years. While he has been acquitted in several, many others are still pending.
For the Samajwadi Party, his relief in this case is expected to energise the party’s cadre in Rampur and surrounding districts, where he still enjoys considerable influence.
