Rampur (UP): In a relief to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, an MP-MLA sessions court here on Wednesday overturned the three-year sentence awarded to him by a lower court in a 2019 hate speech case.
An MP-MLA magistrate court had on October 27, 2022 sentenced Khan, the then SP MLA from the Rampur Sadar seat, in the case. Following this, Khan was disqualified as an MLA.
A government counsel in the case said the special court accepted the appeal filed against Khan’s sentence.
The case was registered against Azam Khan at Milak Kotwali in Rampur on April 9, 2019, for allegedly making provocative remarks against Yogi Adityanath and IAS Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, the then DM, under sections 153a (promoting enmity between two groups), 505-1 (statement conducing to public mischief) of IPC along with sections 125 of the Representation of People Act 1951.
An MP-MLA magistrate court had on October 27, 2022 sentenced Khan, the then SP MLA from the Rampur Sadar seat, in the case. Following this, Khan was disqualified as an MLA. A government counsel in the case said the special court accepted the appeal filed against Khan’s sentence.
Commenting on the charges, Khan had then said that the UP government was relentlessly registering cases against him to ensure he stays in prison. He further alleged that the BJP government is creating an environment in a country where it’s becoming difficult for Muslims to exist.
Khan’s conviction came a week after the Supreme Court sought a response from the Centre and the states to a plea seeking directions for taking appropriate steps to stop hate speeches against the Muslim community.
(With inputs from agencies)