Accusing the BJP government of abuse of power, the Samajwadi Party chief said Moeed Khan was jailed for 19 months and his property demolished even before his trial began
NEW DELHI – The case of 72-year-old Mohammad Moeed Khan from Ayodhya has once again brought questions of justice, power, and bias into the national spotlight. Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session, Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of falsely framing Moeed Khan in a rape case only because he was a Muslim.
Yadav said the case was used as a political tool during elections, leading to the arrest, long imprisonment, and public humiliation of an elderly man who was later declared innocent by a court.
“This man was sent to jail for 19 months only because he was Muslim,” Akhilesh Yadav told the House. “The BJP government wanted to win elections in Ayodhya and used a false case to defame the Samajwadi Party.”
Addressing the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (February 10), the Samajwadi chief launched a strong attack on the BJP government, questioning its claims of justice and law and order.
He said Moeed Khan, a senior Samajwadi Party leader from Ayodhya, was deliberately targeted.
“A 72-year-old man was accused of a crime he never committed,” Yadav said. ‘He was kept in jail for months, his dignity was taken away, and his family was destroyed mentally.’
Yadav also thanked the people of Ayodhya for rejecting what he described as communal politics.
“I thank the people of Ayodhya for defeating the politics of hatred,” he said. “They showed that truth still matters.”
Case Shocked Ayodhya
The case dates back to July 29, 2024, when a complaint was registered at the Pura Kalandar police station in Ayodhya district. Mohammad Moeed Khan and his domestic help, Raju Khan, were accused of gang rape of a minor Dalit girl.
The allegations led to immediate political outrage. Within hours, the matter was raised in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who publicly referred to Moeed Khan as guilty.
Legal experts later pointed out that such statements were made before any trial or judicial finding.
A local resident said, “From that moment, it felt like the decision was already taken. No one was ready to listen.”
Soon after the chief minister’s statement in the assembly, the district administration moved bulldozers to Moeed Khan’s property. His cake bakery and a three-storey building were demolished within hours.
Family members said no proper notice was served and no chance was given to respond.
“They broke everything in one day,” said a relative of Moeed Khan. “Years of hard work were turned into rubble.”
The bulldozer action added to the sense that punishment had begun even before the trial started.
19 Months Behind Bars
Moeed Khan was arrested and remained in jail for nearly 19 months.
During this time, his health deteriorated, and his family faced social isolation.
“People stopped talking to us,” a family member said. “Even before the court said anything, society had judged him.”
Supporters said that being Muslim and a Samajwadi Party leader made him an easy target.
A local party worker said, “If he were not Muslim, this would not have happened.”
The case was heard by a Special POCSO Court, which examined witness statements, medical reports, and scientific evidence.
After a detailed hearing, the court found no proof to support the allegations.
On January 28, the court acquitted Mohammad Moeed Khan with honour.
The judgment stated that the charges could not be proven beyond doubt and that the evidence did not support the prosecution’s claims.
A lawyer familiar with the case said, “The court relied on facts, not noise. The truth finally came out.”
Referring to the acquittal, Akhilesh Yadav told Parliament that the case exposed how state power was misused. “When the court cleared him, who will return those 19 months?” he asked. “Who will rebuild his house? Who will give him back his respect?”
He said the BJP government owed an apology to Moeed Khan and his family. “This is not justice,” Yadav said. “This is revenge politics.”
The Samajwadi Party chief said the case showed a pattern where Muslim names are quickly linked with serious crimes, while due process is ignored.
“He was framed because he was Muslim,” Yadav said clearly. “This is the truth the government does not want to hear.”
Rights activists say the case reflects a wider problem where Muslim citizens face quicker arrests, public shaming, and harsh action, even before trials begin.
A human rights activist said, “The system moves very fast when the accused is Muslim. It moves very slowly when Muslims are victims.”
Silence After Acquittal
While the arrest and bulldozer action were widely publicised, the court’s acquittal received little attention.
Local journalists said the same voices that shouted during the arrest went silent after the judgment.
“No one came to say sorry,” said a resident. “No leader came to meet the family.”
This silence, critics say, deepens the sense of injustice.
At the time of writing, the BJP has not issued a detailed response to Akhilesh Yadav’s claims in Parliament.
Government sources maintain that the law was followed, though no explanation has been given for the demolition or the chief minister’s statement before the trial.
Legal observers say public comments by senior leaders during ongoing cases raise serious concerns.
A retired judge said, “Courts decide guilt, not political speeches.”
For Moeed Khan’s family, the acquittal brings relief but not closure. “We lost our home, our business, and our peace,” a family member said. ‘The court cleared him, but the damage is already done.’
Community members say fear remains.
“Anyone can be picked up, accused, and punished without trial,” said a local shopkeeper. “That fear stays.”
Akhilesh Yadav said the case should serve as a warning to voters. “This government believes in punishment first and trial later,” he said. “People must decide if this is the India they want.”
He said the Samajwadi Party would continue to raise such issues inside and outside Parliament.
“We will speak for those who are silenced,” Yadav said.
Larger Questions on Justice
The Mohammad Moeed Khan case has raised serious questions about equality before the law, the use of state machinery, and the safety of minorities.
Legal scholars say an acquittal after long imprisonment cannot undo the harm.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” said a senior advocate.
The case also highlights the need for restraint by political leaders and strict respect for judicial processes.
Even after the acquittal, several questions remain. Why was the property demolished without a verdict? Why was an elderly man named guilty in public speeches? Who will be held accountable?
For now, these questions remain without answers.
As Akhilesh Yadav told Parliament, “The court has spoken. Now the country must listen.”
The story of Mohammad Moeed Khan stands as a reminder that courts may correct wrongs, but the cost of false accusations, public punishment, and communal bias is often paid by innocent lives.
