Azam Khan and Son Abdullah Azam Sentenced to 7 Years in Fake PAN Card Case, Back to Jail

Rampur, UP: Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former minister Azam Khan received a major legal setback as a special MP-MLA court in Rampur sentenced him and his son, Abdullah Azam, to 7 years each in prison in a fake PAN card case. The court also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on each.

The court had earlier declared both of them guilty, and the sentence was pronounced shortly after the verdict. Police present at the court immediately took Azam Khan and Abdullah into judicial custody, beginning the process to send them back to jail.

Recent Release and Legal Background
Azam Khan had been released from Sitapur Jail on 23 September, while Abdullah Azam was freed from Hardoi Jail approximately nine months ago. With this new verdict, both will return to prison. Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Azam family has been embroiled in legal battles, and in the past five years, Azam Khan alone has spent nearly 50 months behind bars.

Case Details
The case dates back to 2019 when BJP leader and current MLA Akash Saxena filed a complaint at the Civil Lines Police Station in Rampur. It was alleged that Azam Khan obtained two PAN cards for his son using different birthdates. The original date of birth of Abdullah was 1 January 1993, which made him ineligible to contest the 2017 Assembly elections, as he had not turned 25. Subsequently, a second PAN card was obtained with the year of birth recorded as 1990, making him eligible to contest elections.

Sections of Law and Sentencing
According to BJP leader Akash Saxena’s lawyer, Sandeep Saxena, the court sentenced Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam under:

• Section 467 IPC – 7 years
• Section 120B IPC – 1 year
• Sections 468 & 420 IPC – 3 years each
• Section 471 IPC – 2 years

All sentences will run concurrently, with the maximum imprisonment capped at 7 years.

Reactions and Legal Next Steps
Akash Saxena called the verdict a “victory of truth,” emphasizing that all ongoing cases against Azam Khan have solid documentary evidence. Legal experts note that if the sentence had been 5 years or less, Azam Khan might have received relief due to time already served in other cases. As the sentence is 7 years, both must return to jail immediately. Their lawyers plan to file an appeal in the High Court within 30 days.

A Repeat Offense
This is not the first time Azam Khan and his son have been sentenced in cases involving fake documents. On 18 October 2023, Rampur court had also sentenced Azam Khan, his wife Tanzin Fatima, and Abdullah Azam to 7 years each in a similar case linked to fake birth certificates.

Looking Ahead
The current sentence is based on the two different dates of birth used for the PAN cards. Both will remain in judicial custody until any relief is granted by the High Court.