Former Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan was sent to 14 days of judicial custody on Tuesday, 3 November after being arrested in a money laundering case — hours after he had secured bail in a separate matter. Khan will be lodged at Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad. The arrest has drawn sharp condemnation from the Samajwadi Party (SP), whose Maharashtra president alleged a pattern of political targeting.

The Arrest and Custody Order

Khan was picked up shortly after being released on bail on Monday, 2 November. Enforcement Directorate officials moved swiftly, and a court subsequently remanded him to 14-day judicial custody. He will remain at Dasna Jail for the duration of the remand period. This is not Khan's first prolonged stint behind bars — he has already spent several years in custody across multiple cases.

SP's Allegations of Political Targeting

Samajwadi Party Maharashtra President Abu Asim Azmi alleged on Tuesday that fresh cases were being registered against Khan each time he obtained bail, calling the pattern orchestrated from above. Azmi said: 'Azam Khan has been in jail for several years. If the ED had anything against him, it could have questioned him inside the prison and taken action. But as soon as he gets bail, a new case is filed. All this is happening at the government's behest.'

Azmi also pushed back against any suggestion of wrongdoing by Khan, noting his long political record. 'Azam Khan has not earned anything through wrongdoing. He brought money and established the university. He has been elected as an MLA more than 10 times and has also served as a minister and an MP,' Azmi said. He argued that the PDA — Pichhda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak — communities were being 'repeatedly targeted in this manner,' but added that 'the public has awakened.'

Calls for Judicial Intervention

Azmi went beyond the Azam Khan matter to call on courts to take suo motu cognisance of unconstitutional actions across the country. He urged the judiciary to act proactively: 'Whenever anything unconstitutional happens in the country, courts should take suo motu action. If this continues, those BJP leaders who are spreading anarchy in the country will come to their senses,' he said.

Notably, Azmi also invoked the legacies of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi, urging courts not to lose sight of their struggles while dispensing justice.

Bombay HC Order on Dia Mirza Video

Separately, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to re-upload actor Dia Mirza's Diwali video, which had appealed to people to celebrate an eco-friendly and firecracker-free festival. The court expressed strong displeasure over the rhetoric used by politicians against Mirza and underscored that India is a secular country where individuals must be free to express views on celebrating festivals in an environmentally responsible manner. Azmi welcomed the ruling, saying: 'I am very happy and want to congratulate the court for showing that justice is still alive.'

What's Next

Azam Khan is set to remain in custody at Dasna Jail for the next 14 days, after which the court will review his remand. The Enforcement Directorate is expected to conduct further questioning during this period. The SP, meanwhile, is likely to mount a sustained political campaign around Khan's arrest ahead of upcoming assembly session proceedings in Uttar Pradesh.