SC stays trial court order over Azam Khan’s voice sample
The voice sample had been sought to match it with Khan's speech, made during a public meeting at Tanda in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh and recorded on a CD
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 23) stayed a trial court’s order asking Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to give a voice sample regarding an alleged hate speech he gave against BSP chief Mayawati in 2007.
The voice sample had been sought to match it with Khan's speech, made during a public meeting at Tanda in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh and recorded on a CD.
A bench of justices AS Bopanna and PK Mishra issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant on a plea filed by Khan.
"Issue notice to the respondent. In the meanwhile, there shall be an interim stay of the direction of the trial court order dated October 29, 2022 and upheld by the high court dated July 25, 2023," the bench said.
Khan challenged the July 25 order of the Allahabad High Court which disposed of his plea and upheld the order of the Rampur trial court.
Complaint against Khan
The complaint was registered by Dheeraj Kumar Sheel against Khan under SC/ST Act, charging him with allegedly using derogatory language against then chief minister Mayawati.
The case was registered in Rampur under the Indian Penal Code sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 171-G (false statement in connection with an election).
The police had also invoked section 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Khan.
(With inputs from agencies)
