SP leader Azam Khan sentenced to 3 years in prison in 2019 hate speech case; gets immediate bail

A Rampur court on Thursday sentenced Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to three years in jail in a 2019 hate speech case, a government lawyer said. However, the court granted bail to the Rampur MLA, allowing him time to file an appeal in a higher court.

The MP/MLA court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Khan, advocate Ajay Tiwari said. The case was registered against Khan in Rampur in April 2019 for levelling serious allegations against administrative officials posted in Rampur and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during an election meeting.

The Special MP/MLA court of Rampur found Khan guilty under Section 153-A (inciting religious feelings), 505-A (giving false statement intended to create feelings of enmity, hatred or animosity between different communities) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 125 (promoting animosity between different classes in connection with elections) of the Representation of the People Act.

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The court sentenced him to three years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on him, government advocate Ajay Tiwari said. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Khan was booked for making inflammatory speeches while addressing a public meeting in Khatanagaria village of Milak Kotwali area.

The video of Khan's statement also went viral. Emerging out of the court after the verdict, Khan in his first comments said bail is a mandatory provision of the law. "I have firm belief in justice," he told reporters. Khan was released from jail earlier this year after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in a cheating case. He spent nearly two years in jail.

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The Samajwadi Party leader faces nearly 90 cases, including that of corruption and theft. The veteran SP leader had won from Rampur Sadar assembly seat in the recent UP Assembly polls for a record 10th time. After becoming MLA, he resigned as Lok Sabha MP from Rampur which he had won in the 2019 election. Heavy security deployment was made outside the Rampur court as well as in Rampur keeping in view the court hearing.