From Power To Prison: Azam Khan's Family Turns To God As SP Looks Away

Last Updated:July 01, 2025, 11:07 IST

Azam Khan, 76, who has over 89 criminal cases pending and multiple convictions since 2022, has been behind bars since October 2023.

Azam Khan has been behind bars since October 2023. (Image: PTI)

What went wrong between Azam Khan and the Samajwadi Party? Once hailed as the unshakable voice of Uttar Pradesh’s Muslim politics and the architect of Rampur’s political identity, Azam Khan today stands alone — silenced, incarcerated, and disillusioned. His wife’s recent tearful confession — that the family now counts only on God for justice — has laid bare the widening chasm between Khan and the Samajwadi Party he once called ‘home’.

Last week, after meeting her husband in jail, Tazeen Fatima, a former MP and MLA herself, said, “Humein kisi se bhi nahi umeed hai… agar umeed hai to sirf Allah se (We have no hope from anyone, only from God)." The words carried the weight of helplessness and heartbreak — and a pointed message to SP’s current leadership.

Khan, 76, who has over 89 criminal cases pending and multiple convictions since 2022, has been behind bars since October 2023. His family’s growing despair has intensified scrutiny on the Samajwadi Party’s response — or the lack thereof — to the legal and political storm engulfing one of its founding members.

Akhilesh’s Reaction

However, while reacting to Tazeen’s remarks, SP president Akhilesh Yadav sounded equally despondent. “Hum kis se kahen? (Whom do I go to)" he asked reporters. He admitted that under current circumstances, Khan’s path to justice lies in one of three routes: a change in government (implying a Samajwadi return in 2027), relief through the courts, or divine intervention.

Though Akhilesh’s response appeared sincere, it did little to dispel growing criticism from Khan’s well-wishers, who argue that the party has not done enough to stand by a man who once embodied its soul.

Virendra Goel: ‘He Chose People Over Privilege’

Virendra Goel, a former district president of the Samajwadi Party in Rampur and a childhood friend of Khan, didn’t mince words in expressing his disappointment.

“There used to be 54 children in our class. I was among the four closest to him. I have never seen a more honest person," Goel told News18, recalling their early years and decades of political activism. “I’ve seen him spend days and nights with the public, especially the poor, even when his own family needed him. He was the voice of the downtrodden."

Goel believes that Khan was left politically orphaned by the very party he helped nurture. “The party to which he gave his heart and soul did not do enough. They may not be able to intervene in the judicial process, but they should’ve raised their voice when false cases were being registered one after another," he said.

SP’s Position: Symbolic Support, Sparse Action

SP’s official line remains that it has stood firmly with Azam Khan. While talking to News18, SP’s chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary reiterated the party’s solidarity, stating, “We are there with Azam Khan, who is our seniormost member. He has been framed in false cases. Akhilesh ji has rightly pointed out that either the judiciary, SP’s return to power, or divine intervention can help him."

Party insiders, however, point to instances like the March 2021 cycle rally led by Akhilesh in Rampur, jail visits by senior leaders, and the SP-backed support to senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, who represented Khan before the Supreme Court in 2022. That intervention led to bail after 27 months in prison.

However, Khan’s supporters argue that these actions have been too little, too symbolic, and largely reactive. In Rampur, where Khan once commanded absolute loyalty, many question whether the SP leadership has distanced itself from Khan due to political calculations.

Azam Khan’s Rise and Fall

Azam Khan’s journey in Uttar Pradesh politics began in the 1980s. A founding member of the Samajwadi Party, he was a ten-time MLA from Rampur and briefly served as MP. Under Mulayam Singh Yadav, Khan was regarded as the bridge between the SP and its Muslim support base.

“He was the spine of SP’s Muslim strategy," says Shashikant Pandey, head department of political sciences at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University.

He wielded significant influence during the 2012-2017 SP government, controlling major portfolios and acting as the de facto No. 2. Even after declining the post of Assembly Speaker—famously saying he wouldn’t tolerate paper balls being thrown at him—he remained indispensable.

But with Mulayam’s fading role and Akhilesh Yadav’s ascent, Azam’s influence began to wane. While the two shared power, their relationship was widely seen as strained.

In 2019, Azam won the Rampur Lok Sabha seat even amid the BJP wave. But controversy was never far behind. His remarks against BJP candidate Jaya Prada led to another court case, and accusations of land grabbing related to his dream project — the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University — soon followed.

Legal Woes and Political Isolation

Since 2019, Khan and his family have been bombarded with legal troubles. Over 100 cases have been filed — many during the tenure of IAS officer Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, then Rampur DM and now Moradabad commissioner. These include allegations of land grabbing, hate speech, obstructing government work, and criminal intimidation.

Khan was convicted in 2022 and again in early 2024, resulting in the loss of his MLA seat and voting rights. His son Abdullah Azam has been disqualified twice. Tazeen Fatima spent time in jail. All three are now out of power, a first in four decades for the family.

The Jauhar University, once Azam’s most ambitious project, is now under scrutiny in more than 100 legal cases and faces potential derecognition.

Loyalists Jump Ship, BJP Gains Ground

Once a fortress, Rampur now sees BJP making major inroads. SP lost both the assembly and Lok Sabha bypolls in the constituency, despite Muslims forming over 60 per cent of the electorate.

Several close aides — including Fasahat Ali Khan Shanu — have joined the BJP. Others refrained from campaigning, allegedly due to fear or disillusionment. The BJP’s Akash Saxena won the Rampur assembly bypoll by over 34,000 votes, a devastating blow to Khan’s legacy.

A Crucial By-Election Looms

With Abdullah Azam disqualified again, a fresh bypoll is due in the Swar constituency. A win would signal that Azam’s base remains intact; a loss could push the family further into political irrelevance.

Though Khan’s legal team has filed appeals, the leader himself has largely withdrawn from public life. Ill health and exhaustion are cited, but observers say the real reason may be political heartbreak.

From commanding Rampur with the authority of a “mini CM" to becoming a lone prisoner in a battle few are willing to fight, Azam Khan’s saga is as tragic as it is symbolic. As his wife turns to God for mercy, Azam Khan waits in silence — for a political justice system that may never come.

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