Senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was released from Sitapur jail after spending 23 months behind bars. He left the prison confidently, accompanied by his two sons, Abdullah Azam and Adeeb Azam, and headed straight to Rampur. Azam Khan appeared calm and composed, occasionally smiling, dressed in his signature white kurta-pajama with a black basket and sunglasses. His supporters gathered outside the jail early in the morning but were cleared by police. Prominent leaders like SP MP Ruchi Veera were present, though she was not allowed to meet him. Speculation about Azam Khan switching parties to the Bahujan Samaj Party remains unconfirmed, with Ruchi Veera affirming his continued loyalty to the Samajwadi Party. Azam Khan’s bail came in a land grab case involving alleged manipulation of land records, filed in 2019. The court granted conditional bail, citing delays in filing FIRs and possible political vendetta. The court imposed strict conditions, including no tampering with witnesses or evidence. Azam Khan’s political influence, especially in Rampur, has diminished somewhat during his incarceration, but his return is expected to stir political developments ahead of upcoming elections.
