Rampur, Feb 1 (IANS): An MP/MLA court in Rampur has acquitted SP leader Azam Khan and six others in a 2019 robbery case due to lack of evidence.

The case was related to an alleged robbery at a house in the Dungarpur Basti area of Rampur.

MP/MLA sessions court judge Vijay Kumar, after hearing the arguments of both sides, acquitted the SP leader, former municipal president Azhar Khan, contractor Barkat Ali, retired CO Ale Hasan, Firoz Khan, Ranu Khan, Omendra Chauhan due to lack of evidence.

The SP leader was presented in court from Sitapur jail while Azhar Ahmed Khan was presented in court from Bijnor jail.

Twelve cases were registered in connection with the forceful eviction of houses in Dungarpur colony.

In one of these cases, one Karamat Ali's wife Ruby, a resident of Basti, had also filed a case on July 25, 2019, alleging that former municipal president Azhar Ahmed Khan, Ali, Hasan, Firoz, Ranu and Chauhan entered her house, assaulted family members and robbed Rs 15,000.

She alleged that Azam instigated the accused to commit the crime. Based on the victim's statement, the police made Azam an accused in the case.

"Azam Khan, along with other individuals, have been acquitted by the court. They were accused of demolishing houses and looting Rs 15,000 therefrom. At the time of the alleged incident, Khan was the MP of Rampur," said the SP leader's advocate Nasir Sultan.