Akbar booked for hate speech Two FIRs Filed Against MIM Legislator

Akbar booked for hate speech

Two FIRs Filed Against MIM Legislator

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad: Forced by the outrage demonstrated on national TV, the Andhra Pradesh police –which was dragging its feet all along- on Thursday booked MIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi. The MLA was booked for waging war against the nation and promoting enmity between classes even as two local courts acted on the matter with one seeking a report by the police and the other
wanting to hear the complaint against Akbaruddin and another against VHP leader Praveen Togadia. Akbaruddin is away in London at present and police said that Interpol will be alerted in case the legislator does not return.
    In a day of swift developments, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy told the media that the law would take its course on the issue and when pressed what this meant said it was for the police to act on the matter. “You should ask them,” the CM said. By the afternoon, even as the state Congress expressed shock over the inaction of the police, DGP Dinesh Reddy taking a cue hurriedly summoned the media. Reddy said that two FIRs have been registered against Akbaruddin.
    “MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi delivered hate speeches in public meetings in Nizamabad town on December 8 and Nirmal town in Adilabad on December 24, 2012. Adilabad and Nizamabad police late on Wednesday night booked separate suo motu cases against Akbaruddin,” Reddy said. “The Nirmal police registered a case against him under section 121 of the IPC (waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against the Government of India) and 153-a (promoting enmity between classes) while Nizamabad police booked the MLA under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-a, and 295-a (maliciously insulting the religion or the religious beliefs of any class),” he added.
    According to Reddy, all the sections except section 153 are non-bailable and if proven guilty under section 121 IPC, an accused can be awarded a death penalty or a life sentence along with fine. “After registering the cases, the Adilabad and Nizamabad police sent notices to Akbaruddin’s house summoning him to appear before the investigating officer for recording his statement. However, later we came to know that the legislator is currently in London undergoing medical treatment,” the DGP said.
    Hard pressed to explain the delay in taking action, Dinesh Reddy said the local officers present at the public meetings failed to comprehend the content of the speech as it was in Urdu. “When the issue came to the notice of senior police officials, the video footage of the speeches was obtained and sent to our legal team. After legal opinion was obtained, we booked the cases on Wednesday night,” the DGP said denying that there was any lapse on the part of the police. However, many pointed out that Dinesh Reddy seemed to be unaware that the contents of Akbaruddin’s speeches have been circulating on Youtube and printed in the media for the last few days. The DGP also said that a case of promoting enmity between classes has been booked against VHP leader Praveen Togadia.
MLA IN SOUP Charge | Waging war against the nation and promoting enmity
Sections | 121 of IPC and 153-a (Nirmal); 153, 153-a, and 295-a (Nizamabad)
Section 153 non-bailable and an accused can be given death sentence or life sentence if proven guilty under 121 of IPC