Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam have received relief from the Allahabad High Court in the fake birth certificate and PAN card case. The court has suspended their sentences and ordered their release on bail. However, it has refused to stay their convictions. This distinction is important because suspension of a sentence does not automatically remove the legal consequences of a conviction. The decision has also raised questions about Azam Khan’s release from jail and his political future.
93 Criminal Cases Against Azam Khan
According to court records mentioned in the case, around 92 to 93 criminal cases have been registered against Azam Khan over the years. He has received relief in several cases, including acquittals and bail. However, the number of cases shows the scale of his legal troubles. His family has also faced multiple legal proceedings, with his son Abdullah Azam facing separate cases in different courts.
Azam Khan Convicted in Eight Cases
Court details show that Azam Khan has been convicted in eight cases so far. Two convictions came from Sessions Courts, while six were handed down by Magistrate Courts. Appeals against two Magistrate Court convictions have also been dismissed by higher courts. In the latest fake birth certificate and PAN card case, the MP-MLA court in Rampur had sentenced Azam Khan to up to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The High Court has now suspended this sentence while hearing his appeal.
More Than 81 Cases Still Pending
Despite the latest relief, Azam Khan continues to face several legal battles. More than 81 cases against him are still pending in different courts, according to the figures cited in the court proceedings. His son Abdullah Azam also has 44 cases pending before various courts. This means the High Court's order in the current case does not bring an end to the legal proceedings against either of them.
Will Azam Khan Come Out of Jail?
The High Court bench of Justice Samit Gopal ordered bail after noting that Azam Khan had already spent around four years, one month and nine days in custody in this case. However, his actual release depends on whether police take him into custody in other pending cases. Police can seek production warrants, also known as B-warrants, in cases registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act in Lucknow and Rampur. If he is not taken into custody in those cases, he may be able to walk out of jail.
Why Azam Khan Still Cannot Contest Elections
The High Court has suspended Azam Khan’s sentence but refused to stay his conviction. Under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a person sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more becomes disqualified from contesting elections. The disqualification generally continues during the sentence and for six years after its completion. Since the conviction remains in place, Azam Khan’s disqualification also continues. The High Court referred to earlier Supreme Court rulings, including the cases involving Vikram Singh Saini and Navjot Singh Sidhu, while explaining that a stay on conviction is granted only in exceptional circumstances. The final hearing in the matter has been scheduled for the third week of January 2027.
