SP leader Azam Khan sentenced to 10-yr jail term in property grab case

The court also sentenced Khan’s associate Barkat Ali, a contractor, to seven years of imprisonment in the case.

This is the sixth case in which Khan, currently lodged in the Sitapur district jail, has been convicted in the past one-and-a-half years.

On Wednesday, the court had held Azam and Barkat Ali, who is also lodged in jail, guilty and fixed Thursday for the pronouncement of judgment.

Joint director of prosecution (Rampur) Shiv Prakash Pandey said, “In addition to the 10-year imprisonment, the court has imposed a fine of Rs 14 lakh on Azam Khan and Rs 6 lakh on Barkat Ali, along with seven years of imprisonment.”

Azam was held guilty under Sections 392 (robbery), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault, or wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. Ali was held guilty under the same sections except for 120-B.

Both appeared before the court via video conference.

Azam’s lawyer Nasir Sultan said they would file an appeal against the judgment.

According to the prosecution, one Abrar Hussain lodged an FIR in 2019 against Azam, Aaley Hasan (a retired deputy superintendent of police), Barkat Ali, Firoz Khan and Parvej.

Hussain alleged that on Azam’s direction, the four forcibly entered his home, threatened him, fired shots, robbed valuables including jewelry and cash, and demolished his house with a bulldozer.