Samajwadi Party Senior Leader Azam Khan. (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav/File)
The Uttar Pradesh government has granted prosecution sanction against former minister and Samajwadi Party MLA Azam Khan in connection with an alleged objectionable remark against CRPF personnel last year.
Police said they would now chargesheet the Rampur MLA under IPC section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on different grounds), which requires prior sanction.
In June, former BJP MLA Shiv Bahadur Saxena’s son Akash Saxena got an FIR lodged against Khan after he, while addressing a party meeting in Rampur allegedly said, “Women terrorists were chopping off the private parts of security personnel to send across a strong message, which should leave the entire country ashamed.”
In April 2017, Maoists had killed 25 CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh and had allegedly mutilated the bodies.
Days after Khan allegedly made the statement, the case was lodged under IPC sections 153 A and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).
Police said that during investigation they obtained CDs containing Khan’s statement and forensic analysis confirmed its authenticity.
Rampur SP Vipin Tada said that Azam Khan, in his statement before the police, admitted to have made the remark. “We would soon file the chargesheet against Azam Khan in the case,” he added.