On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to grant any relief to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan who was seeking interim bail to campaign in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh State Assembly Elections. Justice L Nageswara Rao-led bench asked Khan to approach Allahabad HC and requested the High Court to decide the case expeditiously.
Supreme Court refuses to grant any relief to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan who was seeking interim bail to campaign in upcoming #UttarPradeshElections. SC asks Azam Khan to approach concerned court with his plea. pic.twitter.com/XfozRnyuVs
— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2022
Azam Khan has been fielded from Rampur constituency and had moved to the apex court on January 22 to seek interim relief for poll campaigns. In his plea he had alleged that the Yogi Adityanath led government had purposely delayed three criminal cases to ensure that he is incarcerated during the assembly elections.
He also had said that he had acquired bail in all other cases against him but was not able to secure relief in three criminal cases. According to reports, Khan has more than 84 cases lodged against him and is in Sitapur jail since February 2020.
Recently, Azam Khan’s son who was booked under 43 cases was granted bail, after 23 months of imprisonment. “The oppression will end on March 10”, he had said taking a dig at the Yogi-led government.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Keshav Prasad Mourya sharply criticised the Samajwadi Party for its criminal mindset. Mourya said that SP will not win from Manipuri and from Rampur. “Both Akhilesh and Azam khan will lose their seats. Those sitting in jails dream of winning assembly elections. Every vote for BJP means sending a goon behind the jail. Samajwadi Party will be Samaptawadi Party after March 10”, he was quoted.
It is pertinent to note that SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav is all set to contest UP Assembly polls from Manipuri constituency and Azam Khan will contest from Rampur. Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to March 7 in seven phases. The counting of the votes and the results will be declared on March 10.
