Lucknow: Rampur MP/ MLA Court awarded three years imprisonment to Rampur MLA and SP senior leader Mohammed Azam khan and imposed Rs. 25, 000 fine in a hate speech case in 2019 elections.

The court also granted conditional bail to the SP leader Azam Khan immediately after pronouncing the quantum of punishment giving him a week’s time to file an appeal against the order in the higher court.

He was convicted by the Court in the case for using objectionable language against persons holding prominent constitutional positions including PM Narendra Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the then Rampur DM Anjaneya Kumar Singh at a public rally during the 2019 general elections.

Reacting to his conviction and the jail term, Khan said, I have not lost faith. Not all doors have closed; I will appeal against the order in a higher court. We have already proceeded in this regard.

Azam Khan is set to lose his Assembly membership owing to his conviction and three-year jail term as he faces disqualification as an MLA if he doesn’t challenge the sentence immediately before the High Court. The case of hate speech was registered against Khan in Rampur in April 2019. He has been convicted under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between two groups), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) of IPC and Section 125 of the Representation of People Act 1951.

An FIR was lodged against him after the returning officer had taken cognizance of the matter following the submission of a complaint in this regard. He was present in the MP/MLA Court, was taken into custody after pronouncing him the convict in the case of hate speech.