Court rejects withdrawal of hate speech case against Azam Khan

A local court has rejected a plea of the Uttar Pradesh government for withdrawal of a case lodged against state minister and SP leader Azam Khan for allegedly delivering a hate speech and using derogatory language against former Chief Minister Mayawati in 2007.

Chief Judicial Magistrate B K Pandey refused to accept the state government's application for the withdrawal of the case filed by the UP police during the Mayawati government.

The judge said there were discrepancies in the sections mentioned in the charge sheet and the application filed by the government. The complaint was registered against Khan at the Tanda police station under SC/ST Act in 2007, charging him with delivering a hate speech and allegedly using derogatory language against BSP supremo and then Chief Minister Mayawati.