The case against Azam Khan was lodged under sections 153 A and 505 (File)
The Uttar Pradesh government has given its sanction to prosecute senior Samajwadi Party leader and former state minister Azam Khan for allegedly making objectionable remarks against CRPF personnel last year.
"The prosecution sanction has been given by the state government in the matter. Now a charge sheet will be filed against Azam Khan under IPC sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), which requires prior sanction," Rampur Additional Superintendent of Police Sudha Singh told reporters.
The case against Azam Khan was lodged under sections 153 A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code. Each of the two penal offences entails a jail term of up to three years or fine or both on conviction under it.
The FIR against Mr Khan was lodged on the complaint of former BJP lawmaker Shiv Bahadur Saxena's son Akash Saxena for his statement in June last year which allegedly said, "Women terrorists were chopping off the private parts of the security personnel to send across a strong message which should leave the entire country ashamed."
The reference was to a Maoist attack on CRPF personnel in Sukma district of Chhattishgarh in April 2017 in which 25 CRPF personnel had been killed. The Maoists had allegedly mutilated the victims' bodies.
Section 153 A defines the offence of "promoting enmity between different groups" on various grounds, including religion and doing acts prejudicial to the communal harmony.
Similarly, section 505 deals with the offence of making statements liable to create public mischief and cause an officer or soldier resort to mutiny or fail in his duty.