PRAYAGRAJ, April 3 -- The Allahabad high court has stayed the arrest of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan in connection with re-investigation of a 2007 house demolition case filed at Ganj police station of Rampur district.

It was alleged that the house of the informant was demolished at the behest of the then UP minister Azam Khan in 2006. The FIR was lodged on July 10, 2007.

The bench comprising Justice Rajiv Gupta and Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra directed the state government as well as counsel for the informant to file counter affidavit (reply) in the petition filed by Azam Khan.

In the present case, an FIR was lodged against the petitioner-Azam Khan--alleging mischief, criminal trespass, common intention and extortion at ...