[Azam Khan] Whenever he gets bail in one matter, another complaint comes: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took exception to new complaints propping up against Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, every time he is granted bail by courts [Mohd Azam Khan vs State of UP]..A Bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai, and AS Bopanna noted that whenever Khan gets bail in one case, another case emerges. "This will continue, after trial in one matter there will be more complaints filed. Why this coincidence, whenever he gets bail in one matter?" Justice Gavai orally remarked..However, counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh maintained that none of the cases against the former State Cabinet Minister are frivolous. He submitted that a detailed reply in that regard would be filed. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khan, asked that a copy of the State's reply be circulated to him in advance. .Khan has been languishing in jail since February 2020, facing nearly a 100 criminal cases ranging from buffalo and goat theft to land-grabbing and electricity theft.Despite the Allahabad High Court having granted him bail in multiple cases, Khan continues to be lodged at the Sitapur Jail, as orders in two other bail applications by him have been reserved but not pronounced yet.In February, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea filed by Khan seeking interim bail to campaign for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.Last month, the top court asked Khan's counsel to first approach the High Court for bail. .The present pleas, filed through advocate Lzafeer Ahmad BF, stated that Khan has secured bail in 84 of the 87 allegedly politically-motivated cases filed against him. The present matter relates to a case of cheating against him in connection with grant of affiliation to a school he runs. The plea claimed that the State keeps seeking additional time to place more facts and evidence on record and that the manner in which custody was sought and granted by Magistrates was erroneous in law. It was pointed out that the High Court is yet to pronounce its order in the bail plea in which it had reserved judgment in December. Therefore, the top court should grant bail and quash the proceedings against Khan in the interim, the plea stated. .The matter will be considered by the top court next on May 17.