Allahabad HC to hear Azam Khan's reply on March 22 as Yogi govt opposes bail

Azam Khan, who was lodged in the Sitapur district jail, was facing over 87 criminal cases most of which have been registered in the two years after the BJP government came to power in the state in 2017. While a local MP/MLA court in Lucknow had denied bail to Khan in a case related to the RSS defamation of 2014 when the SP was in power in the state, Khan has been granted bail in 12 of the cases. However, the Yogi government has approached the court opposing its decision.

Prayagraj: The incumbent Yogi Adityanath led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has asked the Allahabad High Court to dismiss the bail granted to incarcerated SP leader and Lok Sabha member from Rampur, Azam Khan in 12 criminal cases registered against him even as the latter has sought time to reply to the government plea.

Azam Khan, who was lodged in the Sitapur district jail, was facing over 87 criminal cases most of which have been registered in the two years after the BJP government came to power in the state in 2017. While a local MP/MLA court in Lucknow had denied bail to Khan in a case related to the RSS defamation of 2014 when the SP was in power in the state, Khan has been granted bail in 12 of the cases. However, the Yogi government has approached the court opposing its decision.

The court had asked Azam Khan whether he would keep his own lawyer or the court should appoint an amicus curiae on his behalf to present his side. Following this, advocate Nasira Adil, along with senior advocate NI Jafri, on behalf of Khan has filed a Vakalatnama and sought time to file a reply in three weeks. Accepting this, the court has directed to present all the applications for next hearing in the case on March 22.

Justice Rajiv Gupta of the Allahabad High Court while hearing the applications filed by the state government for cancellation of bail granted to Azam Khan issued the order in this regard.