The Supreme Court on Friday said that the delay in deciding a bail application of Samajwadi Party MLA Azam Khan was a “travesty of justice”, PTI reported.
On Thursday, the Allahabad High Court had reserved its verdict on Khan’s bail application. He has been accused of illegally acquiring land for establishing the Mohammed Ali Jauhar University in Uttar Pradesh.
Khan is currently lodged in the Sitapur jail.
The High Court had reserved its verdict on the bail application on December 4 as well. However, the state government had subsequently filed an application seeking permission to present new facts.
The Supreme Court on Friday observed that Khan has been granted bail in 86 out of 87 cases filed against him. “This is a travesty of justice,” a bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai said, according to Live Law.
The court posted the matter for hearing on May 11. The bench said that it was holding on to the matter to ensure that the High Court passes an order on the bail application.
Khan, in his bail petition, alleged that Uttar Pradesh was trying to delay the court proceedings and ensure that he would be in jail during the Assembly elections.
On March 10, the Samajwadi Party leader won the Assembly election from the Rampur constituency for the tenth time.
The Uttar Pradesh Police, in the first information report, have alleged that Khan misappropriated a 13.84 hectare plot in the Rampur district for the construction of the university.
The land was categorised as enemy property under the Enemy Property Act, 1968 as its former owner, a man named Imamuddin Qureshi, went to Pakistan.
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