Azam Khan sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in 2016 case

In a major setback for Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mohammad Azam Khan, the court has sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment in the  Dungurpur case.

Alongside the jail term, the MP-MLA special court judge, Dr. Vijay Kumar, imposed a fine of Rs 14 lakh on the SP leader. Another convict in the case, Contractor Barkat Ali, received a seven-year jail term.

The case, which dates back to 2016, centers around the events in Dungarpur, where homeless residents were allegedly subjected to forceful eviction, looting, and the demolition of their homes during the tenure of the SP government.

The plaintiff, Abrar, registered the complaint at the Thana Ganj police station, accusing Azam Khan, along with Ale Hasan and Barkat Ali Contractor, of entering his house, thrashing him, and looting goods. Abrar further alleged that the duo attempted to kill him and demolish his house. Khan is implicated in this case on charges of conspiracy.

Azam Khan and Contractor Barkat Ali Found Guilty in Dungurpur case

The court’s verdict comes after Azam Khan and Contractor Barkat Ali were declared guilty in the case. During the proceedings, Azam Khan participated via video conferencing from Sitapur jail, while Barkat Ali joined from Rampur jail.

The court’s verdict specifically pertains to Khan and Ali. While Azam Khan received a 10-year sentence, Barkat Ali was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 6 lakh.

The recent verdict pertains to one of the Dungarpur cases. The complaint filed by Abrar Hussain, a resident of Dungarpur, detailed the events of December 6, 2016. According to Hussain, the then Circle Officer (CO) Ale Hasan, Inspector Firoz Khan, contractor Barkat Ali, and JE Parvez Alam of C&DS arrived at the colony, demanding that residents vacate their houses.

During this operation, Inspector Firoz allegedly opened fire while looting Hussain’s washing machine, gold, silver, and Rs 5,000. The case also includes allegations of a murderous attack and robbery.

Azam Khan, a ten-time MLA, has been a prominent figure within the SP. His political career includes serving as a cabinet minister four times, a Rajya Sabha member, and a Lok Sabha member. However, the legal challenges have been mounting.

A total of 108 cases have been registered against him across districts in Uttar Pradesh, with 80 cases still pending in court. Over the past 17 months, Khan has been sentenced in six cases while being acquitted in four others. One of the cases in which he was acquitted is currently under challenge in the high court by the prosecution.

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