Rampur Court Increases Azam Khan Sentence to 10 Years

Rampur’s special MP-MLA sessions court has delivered a sharp blow to Samajwadi Party patriarch Azam Khan by raising his jail term in the dual PAN card matter from seven to ten years. The court also hiked the fine to five lakh rupees, while keeping Abdullah Azam’s custodial sentence unchanged at seven years but increasing his penalty to three-and-a-half lakh rupees. The fresh order comes after the prosecution successfully convinced the appellate bench that the original punishment was inadequate given the gravity of holding two valid PAN cards. Advocate Seema Rana, representing the state, highlighted documentary evidence showing deliberate concealment of the second card from income-tax authorities. The dispute dates back to a 2019 FIR lodged at Civil Lines police station following a complaint by local BJP legislator Akash Kumar Saxena. After nearly six years of hearings, the magistrate court convicted both accused on 17 November 2025. Azam Khan’s subsequent appeal was rejected on 20 April 2026, resulting in the enhanced sentence. Political observers believe the verdict could further dent the already strained relationship between the Samajwadi Party and central investigative agencies. For Azam Khan, who has spent decades in public life, the ruling adds another layer of legal and political pressure at a critical juncture for his party ahead of upcoming state elections.