Taking suo motu action, AndhraPradesh Police today filed two FIRs against Majlis-e-IttehadulMuslimeen (MIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi for allegedly making a"hate speech" against a particular community.
The FIRs were registered at Adilabad and Nizamabaddistricts last night and notices were dispatched to Owaisiseeking his appearance before the Investigating Officers (IOs)to record his statement, Director General of Police (DGP) VDinesh Reddy said.
He denied that there was delay in filing the cases andsaid they were following certain procedures because Owaisi wasa people's representative and the police wanted to be sure andgather concrete evidence before moving forward.
The legislator had allegedly used inflammatory andderogatory language against a particular community during hispublic speeches last month.
"There may be slight delay in view of transcribing thespeeches due to the language (Urdu) factor," the DGP said.
The MLA from Chandrayangutta here has been booked underIPC Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groupson grounds of religion, race, place of birth, language etc anddoing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295A(deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religiousfeelings of any class by insulting its religion or religiousbeliefs). 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).
The FIRs were registered after obtaining legal opinionyesterday as the audio-video of Owaisi's statements had beensent to the Chief Legal Advisor, the DGP said.
Prima facie there seems to be evidence against the MLA,Reddy said, adding the MIM leader could be arrested if thecharges against him were established during the probe.
Owaisi, who is reportedly in London for treatment, hadallegedly delivered the "hate speeches" during public meetingsin Nirmal town of Adilabad district on December 24 and inNizamabad town on December 8.
"Law will take its course...definitely he will bequestioned. Notices are being sent to his residence here. Itis learnt that he is out of the country and if he fails toappear then we will have to call him back and if necessaryInterpol's assistance will be taken," the DGP said.