SC agrees to hear SP leader Azam Khan’s plea today

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s plea challenging an order passed by a trial court. The top court will hear his plea today. The trial court had directed him to provide a voice sample in connection with a case involving alleged hate speech and derogatory language against former chiminister Mayawati in 2007.
The voice sample has been sought to ascertain a comparison with Khan’s recorded speech on a CD, which he delivered during a public gathering in Rampur’s Tanda area back in 2007. A bench comprising Justice A S Bopanna and Justice S V N Bhatti acknowledged the urgency expressed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing Khan and seeking a prompt hearing.
Khan has challenged the July 25 order from the Allahabad High Court, which had dismissed his plea and upheld the trial court’s order in Rampur.
The complaint was filed by one Dheeraj Kumar Sheel against Khan under the SC/ST Act in 2007 at the Tanda police station. The complainant accused Khan of delivering a hate speech and using derogatory language against BSP supremo and then-chief minister Mayawati.
The case, registered in Rampur, invoked sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace) and 171-G (false statement in connection with an election) of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, the police had also invoked section 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Khan.