In a recent twist, the third school linked to senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan is set to close, adding to the ongoing controversies surrounding his educational ventures.
The fourth school linked to Azam Khan, currently under construction in Yatimkhana Colony in Rampur, is also entangled in legal issues.
Azam Khan, a 10-time MLA from Rampur and a four-time minister, established four educational institutions during the SP regime, allegedly by acquiring government buildings and land on lease. These educational institutions, including the well-known Jauhar University, are under scrutiny for lease violations and misuse of government property.
The first setback came in 2019 when Rampur Public School, located in the Government Oriental College building, was sealed, leading to its heated evacuation. In March 2023, the government reclaimed the buildings of Rampur Public School (boys’ wing) and Rampur Public School (girls’ wings), both constructed on government land. The land was leased for 30 years during the SP regime.
The controversy deepened with the legal battle over the fourth school’s building in Yatimkhana Colony. The Rampur Development Authority (RDA) has taken action, and the matter is now in the High Court.
Simultaneously, the SP office in Rampur was abruptly locked down by the administration. This move followed the termination of the Jauhar Trust’s lease by the Uttar Pradesh government, resulting in the trust manager’s arrest. The SP office received a notice to vacate the land within seven days.
Tensions escalated as SP leaders initially protested the eviction, but the district administration sealed the office amid a dispute. The swift action raised questions about the administration’s strategy, with officers providing vague answers. The sudden sealing led to accusations from the outgoing district president of the SP, Virendra Goyal, claiming closure of the party office without notice.
Notably, Azam Khan, a key SP figure, is serving a seven-year sentence in Sitapur jail related to a case involving two fake birth certificates of his son Abdullah Azam. His wife Dr Tazeen Fatma and son Abdullah also face seven-year sentences, and the latter is lodged in Rampur jail.
As legal battles and controversies persist, the political landscape in Rampur remains turbulent.