Akbaruddin Owaisi leaves jail in bullet-proof vehicle

Hyderabad, Feb 16: On the strength of health ground plea, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi finally walked out of jail nearly 40 days after he was arrested in a hate speech case. In an unexplained grant of privilege, the police provided a bullet-proof vehicle to travel to Hyderabad.

Hundreds of MIM workers greeted Owaisi as he stepped out of jail. His lawyers had sought bail on health grounds. The legislator was released from district jail in Adilabad, about 300 km from here, at 5 p.m after his lawyers completed formalities of the bail granted to him on Friday.

Yesterday, the courts in Adilabad and Nizamabad had granted conditional bail to the MIM leader. As per the condition laid down by Adilabad court, he had to surrender his passport to the court in Nirmal town.

Owaisi left Adilabad in a bullet-proof vehicle provided by the police. MIM supporters, other party legislators and leaders had gathered outside the jail since morning. The police had to resort to a mild cane charge to disperse the supporters and make way for the vehicles carrying the MIM leaders. Holding party flags and raising slogans, the party activists had also gathered near the MIM headquarters here in large numbers.

A member of the assembly from Chandrayangutta in Hyderabad, Owaisi is facing charges of sedition, waging war against the nation and promoting enmity among people. He is the younger brother of MIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

Akbar was arrested on Jan 8 in a hate speech case booked against him in Nirmal town on Jan 3. A separate case was booked in Nizamabad.

He had delivered the controversial speeches at public meetings in Nizamabad and Nirmal. Police took action after the speeches went viral over social networking sites and some people lodged complaints with police and courts. The MIM leader, who was away in London, returned to Hyderabad on Jan 7 and was arrested by police the next day from the Gandhi Hospital.

His voice sample has been recorded and sent for forensic examination as Owaisi claims that the voice in the footage was not his.

OneIndia news