The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday granted bail to senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in connection with the Rampur Dungarpur colony eviction case. Justice Sameer Jain passed the order while hearing the appeal filed by Khan against his conviction and 10-year jail term awarded by a Rampur MP/MLA court.
According to PTI, the High Court had reserved its decision on 12 August after concluding hearings on the bail pleas of both Azam Khan and contractor Barkat Ali. On 30 May 2024, the Rampur MP/MLA court sentenced Khan to 10 years’ imprisonment and Ali to seven years in prison. Both subsequently moved the High Court in appeal and sought bail until their criminal appeals were decided.
Allegations of Assault and Demolition, Multiple Cases Filed Over Evictions
The case originated from a complaint lodged by a resident named Abrar in August 2019 at Ganj police station in Rampur. Abrar alleged that in December 2016, Azam Khan, retired Circle Officer Ale Hasan Khan, and contractor Barkat Ali assaulted him, threatened him with death, and demolished his house. He filed the FIR nearly three years later, accusing the trio of violence and destruction.
Residents of Dungarpur colony also registered 12 separate cases in connection with the alleged forced eviction. These cases included charges of robbery, theft, and assault. The special MP/MLA court later convicted Khan and Ali in one such case, prompting their appeals before the Allahabad High Court.
With Wednesday’s order, both Khan and Ali have secured bail from the High Court while their appeals remain pending.
