Rampur: Non-bailable warrant issued against Samajwadi Party's leader Azam Khan

A non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued against Samajwadi Party leader and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Azam Khan. The non-bailable warrant was issued for Khan's alleged violation of the model code of conduct. The warrant for Azam Khan's arrest was issued after MP failed to appear before a district court judge on Wednesday, November 13, even after its order. The next hearing date, in this case, has been set for November 26. 

READ | Azam Khan Breaks Down During By-polls Rally, Links Raids With Religion

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a case was registered against Khan

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a case was registered against Khan and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav at a police station in Rampur for holding a roadshow in Swar Tanda Assembly on April 4 for more than the permitted time. Later, the police filed the charge sheet and the matter was heard in a Rampur court which issued a warrant against both leaders. The SP chief was granted bail but Azam Khan did not appear in the court. Earlier, three bailable warrants were also issued against Khan.

READ | Azam Khan Has Party's Full Support, Says SP President Akhilesh Yadav

27 FIRs have been lodged against Azam Khan

As of August 4, as many as 27 FIRs were lodged against Azam Khan. The FIRs were based on the allegation that he grabbed farmers' land for his university in Rampur, police said. Khan, who was a cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh during the Akhilesh Yadav-led regime, is the founder and Chancellor of the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University which came into being in 2006.

"Since July 11, over two dozen farmers have approached the police with allegations of encroachment of their land for the university. We have registered 27 FIRs in these cases and investigations are underway," Superintendent of Police, Rampur, Ajay Pal Sharma stated. 

READ | RSS Army School: Indresh Kumar Says It Will Instill Patriotism, Akhilesh Yadav Cries 'national Conspiracy'

Azam Khan on October 5 had appeared before the SIT

Azam Khan on October 5 had appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which interrogated him for two and a half hours. The court has now listed the next hearing in the case on October 29. Over 80 cases have been registered against the SP leader. The Allahabad High Court on September 25, put a stay on 27 FIRs registered against SP's Azam Khan till October 24 in Mohammad Jauhar Ali University case. The cases against Azam Khan, the former Cabinet Minister of Akhilesh Yadav's government have been registered under the IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 447 (criminal trespass), 389 (putting a person in fear of accusation of offence, in order to commit extortion), and 506 (criminal intimidation). The court has also sought a response from the state government and other respondents in the case.

READ | SP MLA Azam Khan Makes Bizarre Demand; Wants Rashtrapati Bhavan Demolished

(INPUTS FROM ANI)