Rampur (UP): A retired policeman was arrested from the Azim Nagar area of Rampur district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday after a court issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him for not appearing before it, a police officer said here.

Circle Officer (City) Anuj Chaudhary said that Hassan Khan was absconding for a long time.

“He was arrested by Azim Nagar Police and was produced in the court amid tight security arrangements, he said.

The arrested former cop is said to have close connections with SP leader Azam Khan.

Police sources said that Hassan Khan, who retired as the CO, is considered close to senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former cabinet minister Mohammad Azam Khan. "He is a co-accused in several cases lodged against Azam. Cases of land grabbing are pending against him in the court," they said.

Police sources said that after Hassan Khan retired from the police services, he was appointed as the Chief Security Officer of Jauhar University. "He was wanted in two cases," they said.

Meanwhile, Hasan Khan said that the police force is his family and he is a law-abiding citizen. He said that the NBW was issued by the court only two-three days back and he was not aware of it.

(With UNI inputs)