ED arrests Azam Khan outside jail:Says he is being punished for being Muslim; released after 11 months

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan walked out of Rampur jail with his son, Abdullah, after 11 months, but the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him at the jail gate. ED officials first questioned Azam outside the prison before taking him away in a vehicle. The ED will produce him before a court in Ghaziabad. The ED alleges that Azam misused government funds and money linked to contracts during the construction of Jauhar University. The agency is investigating alleged irregularities and money laundering involving expenditure of ₹416.14 crore. Earlier, a heated argument had continued between the ED officials and Azam for quite some time. During the exchange, Azam said emotionally, “What is left to say now? This is the punishment for being a Muslim. The mistake is that a Muslim built a university. This is our sin.” Meanwhile, Abdullah Azam went home after his release. Around 15 minutes before Azam’s release, an ED team had entered the jail. A total of 24 CRPF personnel had also been deployed. On October 29, the Allahabad High Court suspended the 10-year prison sentences imposed on Azam and Abdullah in the two PAN card case and granted bail to both. When did Azam Khan go to jail and when was he released? Azam Khan was first sent to jail on February 26, 2020. He was released on May 20, 2022, after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail. He was sent to jail for the second time on October 18, 2023, and was released on September 23, 2025. He was jailed for the third time on November 17, 2025, and could be released on October 31. There are reports that an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team from the Lucknow zone questioned Azam Khan inside the jail. However, this has not been officially confirmed. Two cases pending against Azam Khan First case: On October 14, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered an FIR over alleged financial irregularities linked to the Jauhar Trust and Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The FIR was registered at the Azeem Nagar police station in Rampur. The ED suspects irregularities in the sources of funds received by the trust and the university, as well as how the money was used. Second case: This case concerns alleged irregularities in the sale of land belonging to the Uttar Pradesh State Haj Committee. A vigilance investigation confirmed a revenue loss of ₹2.08 crore to the committee due to the land sale. Five people, including Azam Khan, have been named as accused in the case. They include then-secretary Akhlaq Ahmed, Dr MAA Khan, Aamish Developers proprietor Mohammad Ayyub and Mustaqeem Ahmed.