SP leader Azam Khan sentenced to 2 years jail in 2019 campaign speech case over ‘tankhaiyya’ remarks; fined Rs 5,000

Rampur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 16 (ANI): A court in Rampur has sentenced Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to two years of simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 in connection with a 2019 case linked to derogatory "tankhaiyya" remarks made against district administration officials during the Lok Sabha election campaign.
Advocate Swadesh Sharma, while detailing the case proceedings, said the conviction was based on strong documentary and oral evidence, including eyewitness testimony and video footage presented before the court.
"This matter dates back to 2019, in which Mohammad Azam Khan made derogatory remarks against officials of the district administration. He delivered an inflammatory speech; notably, the Model Code of Conduct had already come into force prior to this incident," Sharma said.
He further noted that the accused had earlier faced restrictions during the campaign period. "Prior to this, restrictions of 48 hours and 72 hours had also been imposed upon him. Although he had tendered a written apology, he subsequently repeated the same misconduct. Consequently, a criminal case was registered against him," he added.
Explaining the procedural details, Sharma said the case was initially registered at Civil Lines Police Station and later transferred to Bhot Police Station since the alleged incident took place in Mankara village. "The Investigating Officer, Rishi Pal Singh, filed the charge sheet in this case," he said.
He further stated that the prosecution examined eight witnesses, all of whom were government officials. "The case was registered by Ghanshyam Tripathi, the then SDM, who has now retired. Apart from him, three sub-inspectors, two head constables, a constable, and the investigator were presented as witnesses," Sharma said.
Highlighting the evidence, Sharma added, "Eyewitnesses were there, and a video was also presented. These individuals appeared before the court as eyewitnesses. The video evidence also formed part of the case file. A significant point here is that the video was never refuted by the accused, nor was any challenge raised regarding its authenticity. Thus, it was established as an accepted fact that they had indeed delivered such a speech."
The court, after examining the evidence, awarded a sentence of two years of simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5,000 under the relevant sections.
"The verdict prescribes a sentence of two years of simple imprisonment and a monetary fine of Rs 5,000 under each of the relevant sections," Sharma said.
Reacting to the verdict, BJP MLA Aakash Saxena said the ruling should serve as a warning to public representatives.
"This serves as a lesson for those politicians who make derogatory remarks against government officials solely to garner public applause. While doing so and considering the kind of language he employs, they often forget that the standards they apply to others apply equally to themselves. Therefore, this verdict by the court is, in itself, historic," he said.
The incident dates back to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when Azam Khan was contesting from the Rampur seat on a Samajwadi Party ticket. During a campaign rally in the Bhot area, he made controversial remarks against the district administration and the then District Magistrate. His speech later went viral on social media.
In the speech, he referred to the District Magistrate as "Tankhaiyya" (salaried employee) and urged people not to be afraid of him. He also stated that after winning the election, he would make the official "clean his shoes." The remarks also included a reference to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati.
This is not the first case in which Azam Khan has faced conviction. Over the past few years, multiple cases have been registered against him, including allegations related to land grabbing, forgery of documents, electoral offences, and disputes with administrative officials. He has been convicted in several cases earlier as well.
At present, Azam Khan is lodged in jail, with several cases pending before different courts.
In a separate case of dual PAN card forgery (November 2025), Azam Khan and his son, Abdullah Azam Khan, were convicted by a Rampur special court and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment. The court held them guilty of criminal conspiracy in connection with the use of multiple PAN cards with different dates of birth. (ANI)