Rampur Jail Gate Drama as ED Takes Azam Khan Into Custody

Celebrations turned into tension outside Rampur jail on Saturday as the Enforcement Directorate detained Samajwadi Party veteran Azam Khan just after his release on bail.

The former minister had been freed after the Allahabad High Court granted him bail in the two PanCard case. He was accompanied by his son Abdullah Azam when he left the jail at about 7 pm. Waiting at the gate, ED officials stopped him, showed an order and took him into custody for questioning at the agency's Ghaziabad office.

Abdullah Azam was released too, but he went directly home. Azam Khan later spoke to the media and voiced his frustration. 'What more can I say? The law has ceased to exist. Is it a punishment for being a Muslim? Our fault was that a Muslim set up a university. That is our crime. We opened schools for children. Is that a crime?' he said.

The ED had arrived at the jail with a strong security presence, including police from four stations and about 50 CRPF personnel. The team reached the main gate at around 6:15 pm. For some time, there was a conversation between the officials and Azam Khan.

Supporters who had gathered outside the jail since the afternoon, expecting a grand welcome, began protesting and sloganeering. The unexpected action changed the mood from joy to disappointment. There was confusion for a while. Abdullah Azam was welcomed by supporters after he came out.

Rampur ASP Anil Singh Sisodia said the ED team had taken Azam Khan to Ghaziabad headquarters for questioning.

Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party chief, also attacked the government. In a post on X, he said rulers should remember that thrones change when times change. He said the conspiracy of cases against Azam Khan was being watched across the country and the world, and called repeated jail terms for an elderly man in such cases a cowardly act.

The court background shows that an MP-MLA magistrate court had sentenced Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam to seven years each on November 17, 2025, with fines of Rs 50,000 each. The Allahabad High Court approved bail on October 29. Sureties were verified before release orders were issued, and Azam Khan had spent about 11 months and 14 days in jail.

The ED had lodged a report on October 13 at Azimnagar police station against Jauhar Trust, Jauhar University, Azam Khan and two others. It has alleged misuse of government money in the university's construction and fraud. The action after his release is being seen in connection with this case.