'Why Not Let Him Go': SC Directs UP Govt To File Reply On SP Leader Azam Khan's Bail Plea

Calling it a travesty of justice, the Supreme Court had earlier expressed its displeasure over the delay in hearing the bail application of Azam Khan leader who is currently lodged in Sitapur jail. 

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was booked for alleged grabbing of enemy property and misappropriation of public money for his Mohammad Ali Jauhar University project

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday to file a reply on the plea filed by senior member of the Samajwadi Party, Azam Khan over the delay in hearing of his bail application in a land grabbing case, reported news agency PTI. 

Three-judge bench of justices L Nageswara Rao , B R Gavai, and A S Bopanna  asking the state government to file its reply in the case said that it would hear the same on Tuesday. 

"What is this? Why not let him go. He has been in jail for two years. One or two cases is okay but it cannot be in 89 cases. Whenever he gets bail, he is again sent to jail in some other matter. You file a reply. We will hear on Tuesday,” the bench said, reported the news agency. 

Justice Gavai also observed: "This chain will continue as and when he is released on bail in one matter, tag him in another FIR and keep him behind bars.” Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khan, said this is a worrisome case which requires a detailed hearing.

Appearing for the UP government, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said that a wrong impression is being created and that each of the cases lodged against Khan carried substance. 

Calling it a travesty of justice, the apex court had earlier expressed its displeasure over the delay in hearing the bail application of Samajwadi Party leader who is currently lodged in Sitapur jail. 

“He (Khan) has been out on bail in all matters except one for so long, this is travesty of justice. We will not say anything more,” the bench had said.

The Allahabad High Court had reserved its order on the bail application of Khan on May 5 in connection with the case of grabbing enemy land for his Mohammad Ali Jauhar University project. 

Khan and others were booked for alleged grabbing of enemy property and misappropriation of public money of more than hundreds of crores of rupees. The FIR alleged that during Partition one Imamuddin Qureshi went to Pakistan and his land was recorded as enemy property, but Khan in collusion with others grabbed the 13.842-hectare plot.