Azam Khan Freed
NEW DELHI
Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan walked free from Sitapur jail on Tuesday after spending nearly 23 months behind bars in connection with multiple criminal cases. His release triggered celebrations among party workers and supporters, who had gathered outside the jail since morning. Police deployed drones and additional forces to monitor the large crowds.
Khan’s elder son, Adeeb, led hundreds of SP workers to welcome him. Calling his father “the hero of the day,” Adeeb said Azam Khan would himself address the media after his release. Jail officials confirmed that the process began around 7 am, following which Khan left directly for Rampur under heavy security arrangements.
According to his lawyer, Jubair Ahmed Khan, Azam Khan has secured bail in all pending cases, and the Sitapur district jail issued the release order after completing formalities. Khan had earlier been released on bail in 2022 but was sent back to jail in October 2023 after surrendering in a new case filed in Rampur.
Police records show Khan faces charges in 111 criminal cases. Final reports have been filed in seven cases, one case was discharged, and nine were withdrawn by the SP government. He had been sentenced in six cases but is now on bail in all. His legal team has approached the Supreme Court against three additional charges recently added in a 2020 FIR, calling it an attempt to prolong his detention. The MP/MLA court in Rampur is scheduled to hear that matter on October 1.
