Rampur (UP), Nov 17 (PTI) Less than two months after he was released from Sitapur jail, SP leader Mohammed Azam Khan went back behind bars on Monday when a court convicted and sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment in a 2019 case related to obtaining two PAN cards using different dates of birth.

The special MP-MLA court here also sentenced Azam Khan's son Abdullah Azam to seven years' imprisonment in the same case.

After the sentencing, Khan was taken from the Rampur court to the district jail under heavy security. While being taken to prison, he said, "What is there to say now? It is the court's decision." Asked about the court awarding a seven-year sentence each to him and his son, the 77-year-old leader replied, "It is fine. If they have considered me guilty, they have given the punishment." Delivering the verdict, Special Magistrate (MP/MLA Court) Shobhit Bansal held both father and son guilty after examining documentary evidence and witness testimonies, Prosecution Officer Rakesh Kumar Maurya, who represented the prosecution along with advocate Swadesh Sharma, told reporters.

The veteran SP leader was released from the Sitapur jail on September 23 after 23 months. Before this, he was in jail for 27 months.

According to the prosecution, Khan's seven-year jail term has been decreased by the number of days already spent in judicial custody in this case.

Maurya also said the prosecution would review the judgment and may consider filing an appeal if it feels the punishment is inadequate.

Asked whether Azam Khan and Abdullah would be taken into custody following the conviction, Maurya responded, "Yes, absolutely".

The case was lodged in 2019 at Rampur's Civil Lines police station by BJP leader Akash Saxena under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using forged document) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

According to the prosecution, Abdullah obtained a PAN card from the Income Tax Department mentioning January 1, 1993 as his date of birth, which matched the date in his school and High School certificates.

The same date was also used in the records of his State Bank of India account operated by him.

The court held that Abdullah had procured the forged PAN card "in conspiracy with his father" and submitted it in official records.

Maurya said the court awarded varying prison terms under different sections of the IPC. For cheating under Section 420, the court sentenced both accused to three years' simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 10,000, with an additional three months' imprisonment in case of non-payment.

Under Section 467, the court imposed seven years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000, with an additional six months' imprisonment if the fine is not paid.

For offences under Section 468, the accused received three years' simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000, with three months' additional imprisonment on default. Under Section 471, the court sentenced them to two years' simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000.

For the criminal conspiracy charge under Section 120-B, the court awarded one year's simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000, with an additional one month in case of non-payment.

Explaining the sentencing, Maurya said the seven-year term was awarded under Section 467 IPC, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

He said the magistrate had exercised his authority to impose a sentence of up to seven years, the maximum permissible within his jurisdiction.

Maurya also said the prosecution would review the judgment and may consider filing an appeal if it feels the punishment is inadequate.

Khan had a total of 84 cases against him, including those of land grab, graft, criminal intimidation, goat theft and cheating. This is the fourth case in which he has been convicted. He has been acquitted in four cases while others are still pending. PTI COR KIS KSS KSS