HC stays Azam Khan's arrest in 2007 case

The Allahabad high court has stayed the arrest of Samajwadi Party (SP) functionary Azam Khan in a 2007 house demolition case registered against him in Rampur district.

Hearing a writ petition filed by Azam Khan, a division bench, comprising Justice Rajiv Gupta and Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, directed the state govt as well as counsel for the informant to file counter affidavit (reply) in this case. In its order, the court fixed May 5, 2025, for the next hearing of the case.

According to the case, the house of an informant was demolished at the instance of the then minister of UP Azam Khan in 2006. An FIR in this connection was lodged on July 10, 2007.

In the present case, the FIR was lodged against Azam in which he was accused of mischief, criminal trespass, common intention and extortion at the Ganj police station of Rampur district, alleging that house of the first informant was demolished with malafide intention.

The police investigated the case and submitted a final report on Dec 7, 2007, in favour of the petitioner.

On the basis of the said final report, notices were issued to the first informant vide order dated Dec 7, 2007, and thereafter, the matter remained pending and no orders were passed on the final report.