SP Leader Moid Khan to Remain in Jail Despite Acquittal in Gangrape Case; Son Questions Who Will Compensate for Family’s Suffering

Ayodhya:
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Moid Khan, who was recently acquitted by a court in the high-profile Bhadarsa gangrape case, will not be released from jail immediately, as he continues to face charges under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters Act. His legal counsel has moved a bail application in connection with the gangster case, which is currently pending before the court.

Advocate Mohammad Saeed, representing Khan, confirmed that while the court has cleared him of the gangrape charges, his continued detention is solely due to the separate case registered under the Gangsters Act.

Family Claims Irreparable Social and Economic Damage

Moid Khan has spent nearly 19 months in judicial custody, a period his family says has caused irreversible social, emotional, and financial damage. Speaking to reporters, his son Zahir Khan questioned how the suffering endured by his father and family could ever be compensated.

“Everything collapsed during this time. Our family was branded and ostracised. Our bakery was demolished, and our livelihood was destroyed,” Zahir said.

Children Faced Social Stigma

Zahir alleged that the family was treated as outcasts by society. He claimed that his young cousin stopped attending school for several months due to taunts and humiliation from classmates who referred to the family as “criminals.”

He added that his 66-year-old grandmother is seriously ill and undergoing treatment in Lucknow, while the prolonged incarceration of his father has deeply affected the family’s mental and physical well-being.

“The pain and humiliation my father suffered in jail for so long—who will make up for that?” Zahir asked.

‘We Were Never Wealthy,’ Says Family

Rejecting media reports that portrayed the family as affluent, Zahir clarified that they were daily-wage earners. He said the family earlier lived in Surat, working in tailoring, before returning to Bhadarsa during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they started a small bakery business.

The land on which the bakery operated, he claimed, belongs to a person named Janki Prasad, who resides in the United States. Moid Khan was only responsible for managing the bakery and earned a modest remuneration. Following the demolition of the bakery, the family lost its only source of income.

Sisters Faced Humiliation at In-Laws’ Homes

Zahir also alleged that his three married sisters faced humiliation and taunts at their in-laws’ homes because of the case. “The stigma followed us everywhere,” he said.

Political Allegations

Claiming political vendetta, Zahir alleged that his father was framed by providing misleading information to the Chief Minister. He said the case was politically exploited during the Milkipur by-election to settle scores following the BJP’s defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.

“We are not a political family. We survive on daily wages. The court has declared my father innocent in the main case, yet the damage to our lives is permanent,” he said.

Bail Hearing Awaited

While Moid Khan has been acquitted in the gangrape case, his release now hinges on the court’s decision in the Gangsters Act bail plea. Until then, he will remain behind bars.