The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday filed a case against Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in connection with his remarks at an election rally that were allegedly hurtful to women, The Indian Express reported.
According to the police, Khan said at the rally that he had been a minister in four governments and that if he were to use his power, “even a baby in its mother’s womb would have sought his permission before coming out”.
He made the remarks on November 29 in the rally held in support of Samajwadi Party candidate Asim Raja in Rampur, according to Circle Officer (City) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary.
Bye-elections for the Assembly constituency of Rampur will be held on December 5. The bye-poll has been necessitated by Khan’s disqualification as an MLA on account of his conviction in a hate speech case.
A complaint about the speech on November 29 was filed by a Rampur resident named Shehnaz, the Hindustan Times reported.
The police have booked the former state minister under provisions of the Indian Penal Code dealing with sexual harassment, statements conducive to public mischief, and words or gestures insulting the modesty of women. The first information report also invokes provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
Khan already faces more than 80 cases that have been filed against him since 2017.
In May, he was released from a jail in Sitapur after being in custody for over two years in connection with a land-grabbing case. The Supreme Court had given him interim bail in the case where he was accused of illegally acquiring a 13.84-hectare plot in Rampur district for constructing the Mohammed Ali Jauhar University.
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