Hate Speech: Akbaruddin Owaisi arrested in Hyderabad

, Jan 8: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA

, who did not turn up to police station responding to summons, has been arrested in Hyderabad on Jan 8.

Soon after his exit from Gandhi Hospital in the city, police arrested him and took him to some undisclosed location in Adilabad district. He has been accused of not co-operating with the cops in connection with the hate speech cases which were hurled against him.

The MIM legislator has been booked under Sec 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), Sec 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and Sec 121 (waging or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India) of IPC.

Citing ill-health, he failed to appear before police and sought more time on Monday. A police team took the MLA from his house at Banjara Hills to the Gandhi Hospital where he underwent some tests.

Ahead of his arrest, Owaisi's supporters and followers created ruckus outside the hospital. Security in the city has been beefed up to avoid any communal clashes.

Investigating officer A Raghu had found Akbaruddin fit enough to face police inquiry in connection with the case filed against him for the alleged provocative speech made on Dec 24, 2012. However, the MIM legislator had informed that he was suffering from pain and had sought four days time to appear before the Nirmal police for questioning.

"In view of his medical examination, police issued a notice to him to come to the Gandhi Hospital where government doctors will carry out his medical examination. Once the medical test is complete, a certificate will be issued and based on it further course of action will be taken," a police officer said.

Owaisi has approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking to quash all the FIRs registered against him at different police stations in the state.

FIRs against Owaisi were registered following the complaints of Karunasagar, an advocate and a BJP activist. Karunasagar had filed the legal cases after watching video wherein Owaisi allegedly used inflammatory and derogatory words against the community while addressing a public meeting at Nirmal town of Adilabad district.

OneIndia News