Azam Khan warrant case: HC Directs Lucknow CJM, SSP to Appear Before it on Wednesday

Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate and the SSP of Lucknow to appear before it on Tuesday and explain as to why action not be taken against them for not complying with its order related to bailable warrant against UP minister Azam Khan.

A Lucknow division bench of justice Sudhir Agarwal and justice Ravindra Nath Mishra-II passed the order directing the CJM and the SSP to explain as to why action should not be taken against them for committing deliberate and intentional contempt of the court's order.

Also why charges not be framed against them for non compliance of order dated March 1.

The court rejected Advocate General (AG) Vijay Bahadur Singh's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance on the ground that Khan was busy in election related activities.

It observed "Unless that order is complied with and petitioner purges himself, no defence can be considered of a person who still stands in non compliance of the court's order."

Earlier on March 1, the court had issued bailable warrant against Chairman of UP Jal Nigam, Azam Khan, who is also a cabinet minister, for securing his presence in the court on March 6 in a service related case of an engineer of the Jal Nigam.

The court was informed that the warrant issued by the court on March 1 has not been executed.