LUCKNOW, Sept. 24 -- Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh minister Mohammad Azam Khan, 77, was on Tuesday released from Sitapur jail after spending nearly 23 months behind bars. Khan had recently secured bail from the Allahabad high court in the Quality Bar land encroachment case of Rampur.

Azam Khan's son Adeeb, SP MP from Moradabad Ruchi Vira besides hundreds of party workers and supporters welcomed him outside the jail. Although Khan was expected to walk out of jail at around 7am, his release was delayed due to some issues and he finally came out at around 12:20pm.

Meanwhile, scotching rumours that Khan may join the Bahujan Samaj Party, senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav, while speaking to media in Etawah, said, "These ...