Allahabad HC suspends Azam Khan's sentence in dual PAN card case, SP slams BJP
Synopsis
The Allahabad High Court has suspended Azam Khan's sentence and granted bail in the dual PAN card case — but stopped short of staying the conviction. After roughly eleven-and-a-half months, the SP leader's release still depends on other pending cases. The ruling has triggered sharp political recriminations, with the SP accusing the BJP government of systematic discrimination against Khan's family.
Key Takeaways
Allahabad High Court suspended the sentence of Azam Khan and son Abdullah Khan in the dual PAN card case on 29 October .
The court granted bail to both but declined to stay the conviction itself.
Actual release from jail depends on the legal position in other pending cases against Azam Khan .
The case involves the alleged procurement and use of a second PAN card with a different date of birth, reportedly used in election nomination documents.
SP MP Ramashankar Rajbhar accused the BJP -led Uttar Pradesh government of 'discriminatory' treatment of Khan's family.
SP leader Ajay Sagar said Azam Khan is set to come out after 'about eleven-and-a-half months' if other cases allow.
The Allahabad High Court on Thursday, 29 October suspended the sentence of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Khan in the dual PAN card case and granted them bail, providing significant but partial legal relief to the jailed politicians. The order was passed by Justice Samit Gopal while hearing criminal revision petitions filed by the father and son challenging convictions handed down by subordinate courts.
What the Court Ordered
The High Court suspended both the sentence and granted bail to Azam Khan and Abdullah Khan in the dual PAN card matter. However, the bench declined to stay the conviction itself — a crucial distinction. Their actual release from jail will depend on the legal position in other pending cases involving the Samajwadi Party patriarch.
According to the prosecution, the case centres on the alleged procurement and use of a second PAN card carrying a different date of birth. The allegations further include the purported use of that second PAN card in nomination documents filed for an election.
What the Dual PAN Card Case Is About
Prosecutors allege that Azam Khan and Abdullah Khan obtained and used a second PAN card that listed a different date of birth, and that this card was subsequently used in election nomination filings. The conviction by the subordinate court prompted the criminal revision petitions before the High Court. While Thursday's order suspends the sentence, the conviction itself remains on record pending further adjudication.
SP Accuses BJP of Targeting Khan's Family
The Samajwadi Party swiftly welcomed the High Court's order, with multiple senior leaders alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government had targeted Azam Khan's family for political reasons.
SP MP Ramashankar Rajbhar said: 'This (BJP) government has treated Azam Sahib's family in a discriminatory manner and is pursuing a politics of appeasement in Uttar Pradesh.' He added: 'By appeasement, I mean that the government believes that if action is taken against Muslims, Hindus will unite. It wants to practise appeasement among Hindus. As for the bail that has been granted, let the government change. The honourable courts will quash all the charges against Azam 'saheb' that have been lodged under pressure and as part of a conspiracy.'
SP leader S.T. Hasan echoed the sentiment, stating: 'The (BJP) government had implicated Azam Khan 'sahab' in these cases...he has now received relief from the court. This is the biggest happiness for all of us. We pray that his difficulties come to an end, that he is released, and that no further cases are filed against him.'
Celebrations Among SP Ranks
SP leader Ajay Sagar described the order as cause for celebration across Uttar Pradesh: 'Mohammad Azam Khan 'saheb' and Abdullah Azam Khan 'saheb', and all their well-wishers, I want to congratulate everyone and extend my best wishes. Now, after about eleven-and-a-half months, our leader is coming out, and there is a lot of enthusiasm and happiness among all the workers. Across the entire state, there is an atmosphere of excitement, like Diwali or Eid.'
Notably, this marks a significant — if incomplete — legal reprieve for Azam Khan, who has been embroiled in numerous cases over the years. His eventual release will hinge on the status of remaining pending cases, making the legal journey far from over.
Point of View
Conviction intact. That distinction matters enormously — Azam Khan walks out not as an acquitted man but as a convicted politician whose sentence has been paused. The SP's sharp political rhetoric frames every case against Khan as state-sponsored persecution, but the prosecution's charge — misrepresenting a PAN card in election nomination documents — goes to the integrity of the electoral process, not merely communal targeting. With multiple cases still pending, the SP's celebratory tone may be premature. The broader pattern of high-profile leaders entangled in electoral fraud and document cases across party lines deserves scrutiny that no single party's narrative can adequately supply.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Allahabad High Court order in the Azam Khan dual PAN card case?
The Allahabad High Court suspended the sentence of Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Khan in the dual PAN card case on 29 October and granted them bail. However, the court declined to stay the conviction itself, meaning the verdict against them remains on record.
What is the dual PAN card case against Azam Khan?
The case involves the alleged procurement and use of a second PAN card that carried a different date of birth, and its purported use in election nomination documents. The conviction was handed down by subordinate courts before the matter reached the Allahabad High Court on criminal revision petitions.
Will Azam Khan be released from jail immediately?
Not necessarily. While the High Court has suspended his sentence and granted bail in the dual PAN card case, Azam Khan's release depends on the legal position in other pending cases against him. SP leader Ajay Sagar indicated he could emerge after about eleven-and-a-half months, contingent on those other cases.
Why is the Samajwadi Party accusing the BJP government of discrimination?
SP leaders allege that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government selectively targeted Azam Khan's family by filing multiple cases under political pressure. SP MP Ramashankar Rajbhar claimed the government pursues 'a politics of appeasement' by taking action against Muslims to consolidate Hindu votes — an allegation the ruling party has not publicly responded to in this context.
Who passed the order and which petitions were heard?
Justice Samit Gopal of the Allahabad High Court passed the order while hearing criminal revision petitions filed by Azam Khan and Abdullah Khan challenging their conviction and sentence awarded by subordinate courts in the dual PAN card case.
