Remark against Army: FSL confirms Azam’s voice in video

BAREILLY: The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Lucknow, has informed the Rampur police that the voice in the derogatory speech made against the Indian Army in June was of senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.

Superintendent of police, Rampur, Vipin Tada said the information had been shared with the investigating officer (IO) in the case for further action.

“Azam Khan’s voice has been confirmed by the FSL. A team from Civil Lines police station in Rampur is investigating the case,” he said.

On the complaint of one Akash Saxena, an FIR was lodged against Khan on July 1 under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) of the IPC for making derogatory statement against the Indian Army.

Addressing Samajwadi Party supporters at an Eid milan programme on June 27 in Rampur, Khan had said: “At some places female militants took away private parts of soldiers. They didn’t take away their head or limbs but their private parts. The act has such a big message to it which should have the entire country ashamed.”

The video clip of the speech went viral after which Khan claimed that his statement was being misconstrued.

“He (Azam) was speaking about a naxal attack which was widely reported in the media. He did not make any personal remark about the army. The matter is being raised again under political pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Azam’s media coordinator Fasahat Ali Shanu told the Hindustan Times on Monday.

“We never said that the voice in the video was not of Azam Khan. We are opposing the way the matter is being handled,” he added.

Azam could not be reached for his comment.