Rampur, UP: 17-11-2025] In yet another shocking legal setback for one of Uttar Pradesh’s most senior and controversial politicians, Samajwadi Party (SP) veteran Mohammad Azam Khan and his son, former MLA Abdullah Azam Khan, have been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each.
A Special MP/MLA Court in Rampur delivered the verdict on Monday, November 17, 2025, in the high-profile dual Permanent Account Number (PAN) card forgery case. The court found both father and son guilty of using forged documents to obtain multiple PAN cards, with a specific aim to forge in the minimum age requirement for electoral eligibility. The sentence, which also includes a fine of Rupees 50,000 on each convict, led to the immediate custody of the two leaders, adding a severe chapter to Azam Khan’s long history of legal troubles.
The Forgery and the Law: Dual PAN Card Case
The dual PAN case originated from a complaint filed in December 2019 by BJP MLA Akash Saxena. The prosecution established that Abdullah Azam Khan possessed two different PAN cards, one showing his date of birth as January 1, 1993, and the other as September 30, 1990.
The core of the charge was criminal conspiracy and forgery. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that the 1990 date of birth was fabricated to ensure Abdullah met the minimum age of 25 years required to contest the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, which he won from the Swar constituency.
The conviction was delivered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 467 (Forgery of valuable security), which allows for a maximum sentence of seven years. The judgment is a strong reminder that holding multiple PAN cards is a violation of the Income-tax Act, 1961, and in addition it is used for the electoral fraud, constitutes a serious criminal offence.
Profile of Controversy: The Political Career of Azam Khan
Mohammad Azam Khan, born on August 14, 1948, in Rampur, is not just a politician but one of the founding pillars of the State ruling Samajwadi Party. A lawyer by profession (holding an LL.B. Degree from Aligarh Muslim University), Khan’s political journey began in the 1970’s.
- Long-Standing Legislator: He holds the distinction of being a ten-time MLA from the Rampur Assembly constituency, starting his legislative career in 1980 with the Janata Party (Secular).
- Cabinet Minister: He served multiple terms as a senior Cabinet Minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh, holding key portfolios like Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development. He was also instrumental in establishing the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur.
- The Rampur Fortress of Khan Family: For decades, Khan was considered the undisputed political authority in Rampur, successfully dismantling the political dominance of the earlier Nawab family.
However, his career has always been marked by controversy. Known for his fiercy speeches and outspoken nature, he has frequently been accused of making provocative and objectionable remarks against rivals, officials, and even the Election Commission.
A Web of Legal Troubles: Over 80 Cases
The conviction in the dual PAN card case is merely one of the latest of his many of the legal challenges that have suffered Khan since 2017. He has faced an unprecedented number of cases, reportedly over 80, since the BJP came to power in UP.
- Forged Birth Certificate Case: The family was previously convicted in a similar fake birth certificate case for Abdullah, leading to the son’s disqualification from the Assembly.
- Hate Speech Conviction: In October 2022, Khan was sentenced to three years in prison in a 2019 for hate speech case, which led to his own disqualification from the Assembly. Although he was recently acquitted in an appeal for a related speech case, the pattern of judicial scrutiny remains clear.
- Land Grabbing and Eviction Cases: The most severe charges relate to alleged land encroachment, particularly concerning the land for the Muhammad Ali Jauhar University, leading to multiple cases of criminal trespass, theft, and forced eviction. He was previously sentenced to seven and ten years in two different matters concerning forced eviction and property disputes, collectively known as the “Dungarpur case”.
After securing bail in numerous convictions over the past couple of years, this new seven-year term forces both Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam back into custody. The verdict not only threatens their personal liberty but also effectively halts their political careers for the foreseeable future, as an individual sentenced to two or more years in prison is disqualified from holding elected office. The Samajwadi Party, while maintaining the verdict is “politically motivated”, faces a serious leadership void in its core stronghold.
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