Azam gets 2yrs in jail for ‘clean my shoe’ remarks during 2019 Lok Sabha polls

Meerut: A special MP/MLA court in Rampur on Friday has sentenced senior Samajwadi Party (SP) member Azam Khan to two years’ imprisonment for his “objectionable” remarks during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign in UP. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.

According to additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Sandeep Saxena, the case stemmed from an FIR lodged in 2019 by then- assistant returning officer (ARO) Ghanshyam Tripathi over the controversial remarks directed at the then- district magistrate and poll officials, and the matter was subsequently heard in MP/MLA special magistrate court of judge Shobhit Bansal.

During a public poll rally, Khan, who was contesting as the SP-BSP alliance candidate, allegedly referred to the DM as a “tankhaiya” (salaried employee) and told supporters not to fear him. Prosecutors said Khan also said that after winning the election, “the officer would be made to polish his shoes”.

State counsel Swadesh Sharma said the prosecution produced eight govt officials as witnesses, along with retired SDM Ghanshyam Tripathi, cops and the investigating officer. Sharma added that Khan earlier faced 48-hour and 72-hour campaign bans for violating poll norms. Although he later submitted a written apology, the prosecution claimed he “repeated a similar conduct”, leading to the criminal proceedings on this occasion.

More than 100 cases have been registered against the former UP minister, with dozens still pending in courts. He has faced convictions in multiple matters while also obtaining relief in some cases.