Hate Speech Case: Speaker Satish Mahana Cancels Azam Khan’s Membership
Rampur, 28th October 2022: SP MLA from Rampur Azam Khan has suffered another major setback after the announcement of a three-year sentence in the hate speech case. Azam Khan’s membership in the assembly has been cancelled. This is believed to be the biggest setback for Azam after the announcement of the sentence. Taking cognizance of the complaint of the complainant Akashdas Saxena, Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana has taken this action. Apart from the Speaker, Akash Saxena had also sent a complaint to the Central Election Commission regarding the cancellation of membership. After cancelling the membership, the Speaker also sent the information about the vacancy of the Rampur Vidhan Sabha to the Election Commission.
SP MLA and former minister Azam Khan were sentenced to three years imprisonment by the MP-MLA court on Thursday in the hate speech case. He was also fined six thousand rupees. Since then, there was a constant threat of losing his membership. After the announcement of the sentence, however, Azam was immediately granted bail from the court. Azam was taken into custody as soon as he was convicted after the special court of MP MLA started the hearing at around 2 pm on Thursday. Around four o’clock, the court delivered the verdict. During this, Azam Khan remained in custody.
A case was registered against Azam under three sections. He was found guilty in all three cases. Azam was booked for making inflammatory speeches during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. It is alleged that during the speech, Azam Khan also used objectionable language against PM Modi and CM Yogi.
This case of inflammatory speech is related to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Azam Khan was contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Then there was an alliance between SP and BSP. Azam Khan had won the election. During the election campaign, several cases of violation of the code of conduct were registered against him in various police stations. This one case happened in Milak Kotwali. In this, he is accused of abusing people holding constitutional posts and the then District Magistrate. He appealed to a particular class to vote in the name of religion. With these allegations, an FIR was lodged against Azam Khan on behalf of Anil Kumar Chauhan, in charge of the video observation team.
In fact, according to the law made for public representatives, if an MLA is sentenced to more than two years, then his membership goes away. This is a big problem for Azam Khan. Earlier, a BJP MLA from the Gosaiganj assembly of Ayodhya, Khabbu Tiwari, had to lose his legislature. He was sentenced to more than two years by the court. Azam Khan was elected MP from Rampur in the 2019 elections. Resigned from MP after becoming MLA from Rampur this year itself.
