SC to hear SP leader Azam Khan’s plea against arrest in money laundering case

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear this week Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan’s plea, challenging his arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED) after he got bail in a dual PAN card case.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant agreed to list the plea as he heard its urgent mention, expressing reservation over approaching the top court instead of first moving the high court. “Have faith in the high court. It has granted him relief in the past. We can relegate the matter to the high court and request the chief justice to hear it without any delay,” said CJI Kant.

Advocate Nizam Pasha, who appeared for Khan, told the court that this is a classic case of “evergreening” of arrest. He added that an ED team arrived and arrested Khan minutes after he stepped out after getting bail on October 29.

“He has been arrested in a seven-year-old FIR. Earlier too, the Supreme Court ordered his release. He has been named an accused in 87 cases, and this is the 88th case. The arrest has come ahead of assembly elections which are due in Uttar Pradesh,” Pasha said. He requested the court to list the matter and pass any order after hearing him.

On Sunday, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Ghaziabad sent Khan to 14-day judicial custody after his arrest for allegedly misusing government funds in the construction of the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur.

On October 29, Khan and his son, Abdullah Azam, were given bail in a dual PAN case in which the SP leader was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. The Allahabad high court suspended the sentence but refused to stay the conviction.