A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Uttar Pradesh Water Corporation recruitment scam during the Samajwadi Party rule has found Rampur MP and former state minister Azam Khan’s involvement. The SIT has made Azam Khan an accused and has sent a warrant to the Sitapur jail where the MP is lodged, as per reports.
This comes after Allahabad High Court yesterday rejected the bail plea of Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam Khan in a forgery case. The SIT has sent the warrant to Sitapur jail where Azam Khan, his son and his wife are currently lodged. Sitapur Jail Superintendent DC Mishra confirmed that the SIT had made Azam Khan an accused in the recruitment scam and had sent a warrant in the jail. The SIT will soon file a charge sheet before the court.
The recruitment scam under Azam Khan
A case was filed against Khan in April 2018 in relation to the alleged recruitment scam. There were allegations of irregularities in recruitment against Khan when he was heading the recruitment board of the Water Corporation between 2016-17. The alleged irregularities related to the recruitment for around 1300 vacancies for various posts in the Water Corporation includes the posts of Assistant Engineer and Junior Engineer. Some officials of the Water Corporation had alleged irregularities in the recruitment after which investigation was initiated in the case.
The investigation of the matter was handed over to the SIT after the Yogi government came to power in the state. The Yogi government had also revoked the recruitments made for the posts of Junior Engineers and clerks. The SIT has investigated more than a dozen people including Azam Khan and former City Development Secretary SP Singh in relation to the recruitment scam. The investigation has been concluded by the SIT in which it found Khan guilty.
It is notable here that Azam Khan was the Urban Development and Water Resources minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government.
Cases against Azam Khan and his family
Azam Khan’s son and former Suar MLA Abdullah Azam Khan was found to have forged his birth documents citing a wrong date of birth, making him eligible for the 2017 assembly elections when he was actually not meeting the age criteria. The court had declared his election invalid. A string of cases has been filed against Azam Khan, his wife Tanzeen Fathima and Abdullah.
In September last year, Khan was booked on allegations of ‘stealing goats’ following a complaint filed in October 2016. This was followed by an FIR filed against Khan for allegedly stealing two lion statues installed at Rampur Club. Khan was also booked for stealing electricity. In February this year, a PMLA court had ordered the attachment of properties belonging to Khan, his wife and his son after non-bailable warrants were issued against them in one of the cases.
Khan is also known for passing lewd comments against former Samajwadi Party member Jaya Prada who was contesting against Khan on BJP ticket in 2019 ok Sabha polls.
