Azam gets bail in enemy property case; release unlikely soon

Bareilly: A special MP-MLA court has granted bail to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in a case involving the alleged encroachment of “enemy property.” However, the veteran politician will remain behind bars due to pending legal matters in a separate case.

The case, initiated in May 2020 following a complaint by assistant record keeper Mohammad Farid, centres on the land surrounding Jauhar University. Prosecutors allege that revenue records were systematically forged to illegally occupy protected enemy property.

A probe uncovered mutilated pages within govt record books and fraudulent insertion of names into land titles.

Along with Khan, his wife, Tanzeem Fatima, and son Abdullah Azam were also named as co-accused.

The latest relief comes after a lower court had initially rejected Khan’s bail application on April 23. Upon appeal, the sessions court overturned that decision, providing a momentary legal victory for the Khan family.

Despite Monday’s bail order, Khan’s release is blocked by an ongoing legal battle regarding a PAN card forgery conviction. The state govt is currently pursuing an appeal to enhance his existing seven-year sentence in that matter.

Khan continues to face a complex web of legal challenges, having faced prior convictions in cases ranging from hate speech to birth certificate forgery. With the state’s appeal for a stiffer sentence still active, legal experts suggest his exit from prison is not imminent.