Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan, who is currently incarcerated, has been acquitted by a special MP-MLA court in a 17-year-old case involving allegations of road blockade and damage to public property.
The verdict was delivered on Tuesday, his lawyer confirmed today.
Defence Outshines Prosecution
Khan’s counsel, Shahnawaz Sibtain Naqvi, welcomed the relief, highlighting the weight of the defence’s evidence. “We produced seven witnesses in favour of Azam Khan, while prosecutor Mohan Lal Vishnoi produced only one. Which led to victory for Azam Khan,” he said.
After considering submissions from both sides, the court cleared Khan of all charges.
The 2008 Incident
The case stemmed from an incident in 2008, when Khan allegedly created a disturbance near Chhajlet police station after the police removed the hooter from his vehicle.
He and his supporters were accused of blocking a road, which led to a traffic jam. According to the charges, the protest escalated into violence, and electric poles were damaged, prompting the registration of a case against him.
Police later filed a charge sheet, and the matter went to trial. However, proceedings were repeatedly delayed as Khan did not appear in court, despite multiple orders directing him to surrender.
After years of pendency, the trial finally concluded this week, with the MP-MLA court finding insufficient evidence to convict him.
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