A Rampur MP-MLA court has handed a two-year prison term to senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan for a 2019 incident where he made offensive comments about the District Magistrate during the Lok Sabha election campaign. The court, presided over by Special Magistrate Shobhit Bansal, also imposed a fine of Rs 5000 on Khan. The case stems from a roadshow in Rampur during the 2019 election campaign when Khan was contesting as the Samajwadi Party candidate.
The prosecution presented a video showing Khan’s derogatory remarks against the District Magistrate, which went viral on social media, prompting the Election Commission to intervene. Khan had referred to the DM as a ‘Tankhaiya’ (salaried person) and urged people not to take him seriously, further stating that he would have officials clean his shoes after the election. The incident occurred in Mankara village in Rampur.
Following a complaint by the then SDM of Tanda and Assistant Returning Officer of Chamraua Assembly constituency, Ghanshyam Tripathi, a case was registered at the Bhot police station. The police investigation led to a charge sheet being filed, and the trial proceeded in the MP-MLA court. Additional Prosecution Officer Swadesh Sharma confirmed that based on evidence and witness testimonies, the court found Khan guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison.
The complaint alleged that Khan’s remarks during the election campaign violated the Model Code of Conduct and disrespected a constitutional office. This led to the court’s decision to penalize him. Azam Khan faces multiple other cases, including charges related to land grabbing and document forgery. Currently incarcerated, Khan has several pending cases against him.
