A court in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced veteran Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹5,000. The conviction stems from derogatory remarks he allegedly made against district administration officials during a public rally in 2019, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
The case, registered at the Bhot police station, relates to an incident during the 2019 general election campaign. According to prosecution details, Azam Khan allegedly made objectionable statements targeting the then District Magistrate and other officials. The remarks, reportedly made during a public meeting, were captured on video and became viral on social media, drawing criticism and leading to an FIR filed by the official.
Advocate Swadesh Sharma, representing the prosecution, stated that the court’s verdict was based on substantial documentary and oral evidence, including eyewitness accounts and video footage presented during the trial. Sharma further noted that the Model Code of Conduct was in effect at the time of the alleged incident. Azam Khan had previously faced restrictions during election campaigns, and despite tendering a written apology on an earlier occasion, he repeated similar misconduct, leading to the current criminal case.
The conviction adds to a series of legal challenges faced by Azam Khan. He has been convicted in multiple cases over the past few years, including those related to land grabbing, forgery of documents, and electoral offences. In a separate case concerning the alleged procurement of two PAN cards with different dates of birth, Azam Khan and his son, Abdullah Azam Khan, were sentenced to seven years imprisonment in November 2025. He has also previously been sentenced in a case involving house vandalism and in another related to a 2016 land encroachment matter, where he received a ten-year jail sentence and a significant fine.
Despite these convictions, Azam Khan has also seen some legal reprieve. In December 2025, an MP/MLA court in Rampur acquitted him in a case concerning alleged objectionable remarks made about Indian Army personnel during the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election campaign, citing insufficient evidence. However, he remains incarcerated due to other ongoing convictions.
Azam Khan, a prominent leader of the Samajwadi Party and a former Cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh, has been a significant political figure for decades, representing the Rampur Sadar constituency multiple times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. His legal battles have significantly impacted his political career, with his disqualification from his assembly seat following prior convictions.
The Chenab Times News Desk