Azam Khan & Abdullah Azam Sentenced to 7 Years in UP Dual PAN Forgery Case – SP’s Response & 2027 Implications
In a significant escalation of legal challenges for Samajwadi Party stalwart Azam Khan, a Special MP-MLA Magistrate Court in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced the 76-year-old MP and his son Abdullah Azam to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment in the 2019 dual PAN card forgery case, accusing them of employing fabricated documents featuring inconsistent dates of birth to secure duplicate Permanent Account Number cards for banking and income tax purposes, a complaint originally registered by BJP leader Akash Saxena at the Civil Lines Police Station in December 2019 amid intensifying political rivalry in the Muslim-majority western UP belt.
Case Origins: Forgery Allegations and Prosecution’s Case
The FIR under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Income Tax Act alleged that Khan and his son submitted forged identity proofs to obtain multiple PANs, facilitating fraudulent financial transactions and tax evasions, with investigations uncovering discrepancies in birth records across the cards. The prosecution presented documentary evidence and witness statements to substantiate the claims, leading to the conviction after prolonged hearings, marking this as one of over 80 cases against Khan since the 2022 assembly elections, many viewed by supporters as targeted harassment by the Yogi Adityanath administration.
Recent Legal Context: Bail, Acquittal, and Khan’s Defiance
This ruling arrives mere months after Khan’s release on bail in September 2024 following nearly 23 months in Rampur jail across various charges, and shortly after his acquittal in a 2014 case involving alleged misuse of official letterhead and seal to issue defamatory remarks against BJP and RSS, dismissed by a Lucknow court for insufficient evidence: “Charges against Azam Khan not proven beyond doubt.” Undeterred, Khan lambasted the verdict as a “politically motivated witch-hunt,” declaring, “Law has vanished; only order remains,” a pointed critique of UP’s law enforcement under BJP rule that resonates with SP’s narrative of opposition persecution.
Court Proceedings and Immediate Next Steps
The special court, presided by Magistrate Rajesh Kumar, imposed fines alongside the sentence after examining the evidence, with the duo’s counsel, Firoz Khan, immediately filing a petition for joint incarceration in Rampur jail to facilitate family support during appeals. The family plans to challenge the conviction in the Allahabad High Court, citing procedural lapses and political bias, while SP leadership rallies behind, viewing it as an assault on democratic dissent.
Political Ramifications: SP Cohesion and Western UP Dynamics
Akhilesh Yadav’s recent meeting with Khan, framed as a “familial bond,” signals SP’s resolve to consolidate amid 2027 assembly polls, where Khan remains a potent force in Rampur and Muslim pockets. This case sharpens fault lines in western UP, potentially galvanizing SP’s base against perceived vendetta, while BJP dismisses it as accountability for corruption.
