Lucknow, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Allahabad High Court on Thursday suspended the sentences of Samajwadi Party (SP) senior leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Khan in the dual PAN card case and granted them bail.
However, the High Court declined their plea to stay the conviction itself. Their release from jail will depend on the legal position in other pending cases.
Justice Samit Gopal passed the order while hearing criminal revision petitions filed by the father and son challenging the conviction and sentences awarded by subordinate courts in the case involving two PAN cards.
According to the prosecution, the case relates to the alleged procurement and use of a second PAN card carrying a different date of birth. The allegations also include the purported use of the second PAN card in documents filed for election nomination.
Senior counsel appearing for Azam Khan argued the matter before the High Court. The defence challenged the lower court’s verdict through criminal revision petitions and sought suspension of the sentences and bail pending the disposal of the case.
The High Court accepted their plea for suspension of sentence and granted bail but refused to stay the conviction.
The distinction is legally significant, as the conviction remains in force even though the sentences have been suspended. The revision petitions will be decided separately.
Suspension of sentence allows a convicted person to remain on bail while an appeal or revision is pending. A stay on conviction, however, temporarily suspends the legal consequences arising from the conviction itself.
In this case, the court has not granted relief against the conviction, which will continue to stand until the revision petitions are finally decided.
Despite securing bail in the dual PAN card case, Azam Khan and Abdullah Khan may still have to address proceedings in other pending matters before their release can be effected.
Both Azam Khan and Abdullah Khan are already lodged in jail in connection with various cases.
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