The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed UP Minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to appear before the lucknow Bench of the High Court on Wednesday after he was issued a bailable warrant for not turning up in a case of alleged perjury relating to an affidavit filed by UP Jal Nigam. Khan is the ex-officio Chairman of the Nigam being the State's Water Supplies Minister.
The HC had fixed the hearing of the case on Tuesday, the day Khan chose to approach the apex court against the March 6 order summoning his presence through bailable warrant. The Bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar, Justices DY Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul gave an urgent hearing to Khan but was convinced at the end that the Minister should not “hoodwink” the court and give his explanation on the allegedly “forged” affidavit by appearing before the HC. Although Khan though offered an unconditional apology, but he failed to appear before the HC on two occasions. Even the warrant could not be served on him. Taking notice of this fact, SC remarked, “You are the Chairman of the Jal Nigam and even a Minister and yet warrants are not served on you. In your affidavit you can’t say that you were busy with election meetings on March 1. Does he not have a helicopter to reach lucknowIJ”