SC directs sessions court to decide SP leader Azam Khan's appeal in 6 months

New Delhi [India], February 11 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked a sessions court to adjudicate Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mohammad Abdullah Azam Khan's appeal against his conviction in a case involving assault of a public servant.
A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal passed an interim order requesting the District Court to make an endeavour to dispose off Khan's appeal in six months.
The Court also clarified that the sessions court would treat Khan as a juvenile accused while handling his appeal after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing him, requested that the findings of the juvenile court were in his client's favour.
Abdullah Azam Khan is a former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Suar constituency in Rampur district in Uttar Pradesh.
He and his father were convicted by a local court in Uttar Pradesh for committing the offense of using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty and for other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), in a 2008 matter pertaining to a 'dharna' on a state highway.
Khan moved Allahabad High Court challenging his conviction. After the Court dismissed his plea to stay his conviction in April 2023, he approached the Supreme Court.
Following this, Khan was disqualified from his position in the Assembly.
On September 26, 2023, the Supreme Court sought clarification from the district judge of Rampur regarding Khan's date of birth. Later, his counsel submitted a report on his date of birth which favoured him.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court asked the sessions court to decide Abdullah's appeal within six months. (ANI)