Azam Khan stares at more trouble

Facing flak over his alleged ''unparliamentary'' remarks on Lok Sabha deputy speaker Rama Devi, firebrand Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and party MP Azam Khan is staring at more trouble back home at Rampur, his native district.

In a double blow to Azam Khan, not only was the seven-acre land leased to his Jauhar University at Rampur by the previous SP government cancelled but a charge-sheet was also filed in the court against him in connection with his alleged ''objectionable'' remarks on film actress-turned-politician and BJP leader Jaya Prada.

Azam, who was the chancellor of Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar University, was directed by the court of Rampur sub-divisional magistrate to demolish the huge gate of the Varsity as it was built on the PWD land.

The SDM court also imposed a fine of Rs 3.27 crore on Khan.

According to sources, a fresh complaint charging the SP leader with allegedly demolishing an old bridge at Lalpur area in Rampur was also lodged against him.

Azam was recently declared a ''land mafia'' by the UP government and his name was included in a list on the anti-land mafia portal. The portal has names of people who grab land and never vacate it.

Azam has been accused of grabbing land of several local farmers. As many as 13 cases of land grabbing were registered against Azam in the past one week.

More than 25 local farmers had complained to the district magistrate alleging that their lands had been ''forcibly'' taken over by Azam for construction of the University building during the previous SP regime.

A probe had been ordered after the BJP formed its government in the state after Assembly polls in 2017. Officials claimed that they detected large scale irregularities in the alleged purchase of land for the Varsity.