Hate speech: Police notice to Owaisi to appear for questioning

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh police today issued notices to Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi to appear before it for questioning, a day after registering FIRs against him for allegedly making " hate speech" against a particular community.

As part of further probe into the two cases, the MIM legislator was directed to appear before Investigation Officers of Nirmal (Rural) police in Adilabad district on January 7 and before the Nizambad II Town police on January 8.

The FIRs were registered suo moto at Adilabad and Nizamabad districts after the legislator had allegedly used inflammatory and derogatory language against a particular community during his public speeches last month.

The notices issued under section 41(A) of CrPC were pasted outside the residence of Akbaruddin in Banjara Hills here, as he is reportedly in London for treatment and asked him to appear before police as part of further probe into the cases.

The MLA from Chandrayangutta here has been booked under IPC Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

He has also been booked under IPC Section 121 (waging or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India).

Prima facie there seems to be evidence against the MLA, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) V Dinesh Reddy had earlier said, adding the MIM leader could be arrested if the charges against him were established during the probe.

"It is learnt that he is out of the country and if he fails to appear then we will have to call him back and if necessary Interpol's assistance will be taken," the DGP had said.