New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant any interim relief to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who had sought interim bail to campaign in upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

The top court refused to entertain Azam Khan's plea, however, it granted liberty to Azam Khan to approach the concerned court and request them to take the matter expeditiously.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khan tells SC that bail plea was not being taken up for the last three-four months despite repeated requests for the hearing. He urged the court to grant Khan interim relief so that he can campaign in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

"Do not bring politics to the court," the court remarked during the hearing.

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan had moved Supreme court seeking interim bail to campaign in upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

The leader Khan has said in his plea that the State has adopted all means available to purposefully delay the proceedings in these remaining three Bail Applications so as to ensure that the Petitioner is incarcerated during the State Assembly Elections scheduled to be held in the State of UP from February 10 to March 7 and cannot join in the election campaign for his party.

In his bail plea, Azam Khan has also mentioned that he has been named as an accused in various cases and despite this, the petitioner has been able to secure bail in other cases pending against him but not able to secure bail in three criminal cases as the State has adopted all means available to purposefully delay the proceedings in these three cases.

Khan has been lodged in Sitapur jail since February 2020 last year over several cases registered against him.