Meerut: In a significant setback for Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam Khan, a Rampur MP/MLA court on Saturday enhanced their prison sentences from seven years to 10 years each in the fake PAN card case. The court also increased the fine from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh for each convict.
The order came after the court heard an appeal filed by the state government seeking stricter punishment. Earlier, on November 17, 2025, a lower court had sentenced the father-son duo to seven years of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50,000 each. The prosecution argued that the matter was not a clerical error but a serious criminal offense involving deliberate forgery and misuse of government identification documents. The state sought exemplary punishment to deter such fraudulent activities.
Case Background
The case originated from a complaint filed by BJP MLA Akash Saxena at Rampur's Civil Lines police station on July 30, 2019. Saxena alleged that Abdullah Azam had fraudulently obtained two PAN cards using different personal details. During the investigation, police also found the alleged involvement of Azam Khan and made him a co-accused. According to police findings, Abdullah Azam possessed two PAN cards carrying different dates of birth. One document mentioned January 1, 1993, while the other recorded September 30, 1990. Police treated it as a case of forgery and cheating and filed charges accordingly.
Trial and Appeal
After a prolonged trial, the MP/MLA court convicted both on November 17, 2025, following which they were sent to Rampur district jail. The duo later challenged the conviction in the sessions court. Final arguments concluded on April 6. Defence counsel Nasir Sultan appeared for the accused, while ADGC Seema Rana represented the prosecution. “After reserving its judgment, sessions court judge Vijay Kumar dismissed the appeals filed by Azam Khan and Abdullah Azam, upheld the lower court's conviction and enhanced their sentences,” Rana said.
Reactions
Welcoming the verdict, BJP MLA Saxena said, “I always had faith in the Indian judicial system. The law is finally taking its rightful course.”
This case has drawn significant attention due to the political stature of the accused. Azam Khan is a prominent Samajwadi Party leader and former minister, while his son Abdullah Azam is also an active politician. The enhanced sentence sends a strong message against the misuse of official documents.
