Hate speech: Azam Khan sentenced to 3-year imprisonment; gets bail
A court in Uttar Pradesh convicted Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan in a 2019 hate speech case, and sentenced him to three years in jail on Thursday. He was accused of inciting communal violence through his comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and IAS officer Aunjaneya Singh. Later, Khan got bail with seven days to appeal against the verdict.
Why does this story matter?
Khan was released on interim bail in May this year after more than two years in jail in an alleged cheating case. Reportedly, 81 cases were filed against him along with his wife and son at various police stations in Rampur — Khan's constituency — since the BJP seized power in UP in 2017. He is said to be SP's second-in-command after Akhilesh Yadav.
Khan has nearly 90 cases against him
The case was filed in April 2019 on the complaint of local BJP leader and advocate, Akash Saxena, who submitted a video of Khan's speech as purported evidence of him inciting violence. He currently faces around 90 cases of corruption, land grab, fraud, and criminal trespass, among others. Earlier, the Allahabad High Court stayed his arrest and sought a reply from the UP government.
3 years was the maximum quantum in the case
Accused of illegally acquiring land for university
In another case, he is charged with illegally acquiring a 13.84-hectare plot in Rampur district for the construction of Mohammed Ali Jauhar University. Its owner, Imamuddin Qureshi, had moved to Pakistan during the Partition after which the plot was categorized under the Enemy Property Act, 1968.
SC concerned over back-to-back cases against Khan
While granting him interim bail in May, the SC voiced concerns over the back-to-back cases against him following each release. "He (Khan) has been out on bail in all matters except one for so long, this is a travesty of justice," the SC bench said. Khan had claimed that an inspector in Sitapur jail had warned him of his encounter after release.
