Azam Khan cheated people of his community: UP minister

Alleging that Azam Khan scammed people of his community during the previous SP dispensation, a Uttar Pradesh minister on Thursday said the cases filed against the controversial Samajwadi Party leader were filed by those who he "cheated" and not by BJP workers.

Khan, the Lok Sabha MP from Rampur, is facing several police cases, including related to grabbing of land. Authorities have claimed the gate of his Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, established by Khan in 2006, is built on a government land.

"In the previous SP government, Azam Khan cheated people of his own community. Cases against him are filed by them and not BJP workers," state Transport Minister Ashok Kataria told reporters on Wednesday night.

His statement came after Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav accused the BJP government in UP of political vendetta against Khan. In his first press conference in months, the 79-year-old Yadav said he could take the issue to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I've not thought about it. But, if needed, I will meet the PM to convey to him the injustice meted out to Azam Khan," he said.

On Thursday, when asked whether Khan would be arrested, the UP minister did not give a definite reply. "It depends on the sections, the cases lodged against him," Kataria said.

Over 80 cases have been filed against Khan in Rampur, according to Yadav.

Khan has linked the action against him in the university cases to upcoming assembly bypolls in the state.