The
Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed an order of a trial court directing Samajwadi
Party leader Azam Khan to give a voice sample in a case of allegedly delivering
a hate speech and using derogatory language against BSP chief Mayawati in 2007.
The
voice sample has been sought to match it with Khan's speech, which was made
during a public meeting in Rampur's Tanda area in 2007 and recorded on a CD.
A
bench of justices A S Bopanna and P K Mishra issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh
government and the complainant in the case on the plea filed by Khan.
"Issue
notice to the respondent. In the meanwhile, there shall be an interim stay of
the direction of the trial court order dated October 29, 2022, and upheld by
the high court dated July 25, 2023," the bench said.
Khan
has challenged the July 25 order of the Allahabad High Court which disposed of
his plea and upheld the order of the trial court in Rampur.
The
complaint was registered by one Dheeraj Kumar Sheel against Khan at the Tanda
police station under SC/ST Act in 2007, charging him with delivering a hate
speech and allegedly using derogatory language against then chief minister
Mayawati.
The
case was registered in Rampur under the Indian Penal Code sections 504
(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 171-G
(false statement in connection with an election).
The
police had also invoked section 125 of the Representation of Peoples Act and
the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Khan.