Hardoi:After spending 17 months in Hardoi jail, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abdullah Azam, the son of former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan, was released on Tuesday, February 25. His release follows a recent bail granted by the Rampur MP-MLA court in a case related to enemy property.
As news of his release spread, hundreds of his supporters gathered outside the prison to welcome him, including SP leaders and workers from Rampu and Hardoi. Abdullah Azam, dressed in a white Kurta-Pyjama with a dark-coloured sleeveless waistcoat, was escorted out of the jail complex amid tight security.
Despite securing bail from the Supreme Court, Abdullah's release had been delayed due to an ongoing case related to enemy property in Rampur. The Rampur police had appealed to add new charges against Abdullah, but the court rejected the plea, a significant relief for him. Following this, Abdullah was released from the prison.
Abdullah Azam, a former MLA from the Suar constituency in Rampur, had been accused in the 2020 enemy property case, alongside his father, Azam Khan. While the Uttar Pradesh Police initially gave both men a clean chit, a reinvestigation led by Crime Branch Inspector Nawab Singh recharged Abdullah and Azam Khan as accused. Despite the charges, Abdullah had secured bail in all 45 cases filed against him, including one related to machine theft.
Abdullah's lawyer, Satnam Singh Nattu, expressed gratitude, stating, "We thank God and the judicial system for Abdullah Bhai's release." SP leader Ruchi Veera, who was present at the jail, reaffirmed her faith in the judiciary, saying, "Justice has been served, and we are grateful." Abdullah's father, Azam Khan, remains imprisoned in the Sitapur jail.
