Akhilesh Yadav forms 21-member panel to probe 'fake cases' lodged against Azam Khan

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has constituted a 21-member committee, led by leader of opposition in the Legislative Council Ahmad Hasan, to probe "fake cases" lodged against party MP Azam Khan in Rampur.

"The 21-member committee of party legislators led by Leader of Opposition in Legislative council will reach Rampur on July 20 and probe fake cases pertaining to encroachment of land of farmers against Khan, who is also the vice-chancellor of the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, and incidents to harass him by the district administration," SP chief spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury said.

The committee will submit its report to the party president within three days of the visit, he said.

The formation of the committee is seen as a bid to defend the party leader and rake up the issue in the state Assembly, which is going to commence on Thursday.

Based on the findings, the SP may try to put pressure on the BJP government for alleged harassment of Khan.

It is alleged that Khan had forcibly taken land from farmers and the Rampur district administration has lodged around two dozen cases against the former cabinet minister.

There are reports that the district administration is planning to put up local MP Khan's name on the anti-land mafia portal that was introduced by the Yogi Adityanath government.

As per the administration, 26 farmers have claimed that Khan and his men got the land for the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University through coercion.

The incidents happened between 2006 and 2016. Khan was a powerful minister in the Samajwadi Party government (2012-17).