Law Judges People Based On Crimes, Not Religion: NDA Leaders Hit Out At SP's Azam Khan

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) NDA leaders on Sunday hit out at Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan over his remarks about being "targeted" because of his religion and said that if the Enforcement Directorate found evidence, his arrest would be valid.

They added that even though he was bailed in a different matter, the authorities might have found evidence proving his guilt in other cases.

On October 31, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in a money laundering case in connection with the provisional attachment of land and buildings belonging to Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district, valued at Rs 426.46 crore.

Speaking to the reporters before being taken away by the ED, Khan said, "Is this the punishment for being a Muslim?"

The fresh trouble for Azam Khan came against the backdrop of a short-lived relief offered to him and his son Abdullah Khan by the Allahabad High Court by suspending their sentence in the dual PAN card case, granting them bail on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters, Uttar Pradesh Minister of State Narendra Kashyap said, "The law, Parliament and the Constitution do not judge a person based on religion. The law judges a person based on their crimes."

"If Azam Khan committed a crime, and evidence was found that he has more property than his income, or that he committed forgery, physical violence, or theft, then the investigation is valid," he added.

Speaking to IANS, Bihar BJP State President Sanjay Saraogi firmly said the law is equal for all. "Claiming that you are being attacked and oppressed because of your religion is not going to exempt you from the crimes you have committed," he said.

"A person who built an empire of Rs. 1170 crores by oppressing the poor, orphans, and weak farmers is playing the victim today," Saraogi said.

"There is no religion in money laundering and corruption. No matter if someone thinks of themselves as the biggest of strongmen, one who loots public money has a place only inside a prison," he added.

JD(U) National General Secretary Shyam Rajak said that, "On the one hand, the judiciary decided to bail him; on the other hand, there might be more cases in which he was accused by the ED. It doesn't mean that if he is bailed in one crime, the other ones will be dissolved too"

JD(U) National Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said that Azam Khan had a strong influence when the Samajwadi Party ruled the state. "He committed many financial crimes then," Ranjan said, adding, "It is a good opportunity for Azam Khan to prove his innocence to the financial institutions of the state."

Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde said, "The ED will question him in multiple matters. Azam Khan has already spent time in jail; his son has been released, but he will have to face the ED."

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