Hyderabad, Jan 3: A court Thursday asked police to book a case against Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi for an alleged hate speech.
The IVth Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate gave the direction for Akbaruddin'd widely condemned provocative speech made in Adilabad Dec 24.
The court passed the order on a petition filed by Venkatesh Goud, a resident of Osmania University area.
Akbaruddin Owaisi is a MIM legislator and party leader in the Andhra Pradesh assembly. He is the younger brother of MIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
Owaisi has said the party would accept any verdict from the court.
Another city court is set to deliver later in the day orders on another petition seeking action against Akbaruddin.
The VII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had Wednesday reserved the orders on a petition by Kashimshetty Karuna Sagar, an advocate.
The petitioner asked the court to file a case against Owaisi for malicious acts, insulting religion or religious beliefs), promoting enmity between different groups and other sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The petitioner also alleged that he had been getting threatening calls for filing the complaint against the MIM legislator.
Social activist Shabnam Hashmi lodged a complaint in New Delhi against the MIM leader for allegedly making derogatory remarks about a particular community.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy told reporters Thursday that the law would take its own course in Akbaruddin's case.
He said it was for police to take action as per the law.
He said it had come to the notice of the government that Akbaruddin made provocative speeches in Adilabad and Nizamabad districts.
The MIM leader, whose party snapped ties with ruling Congress in November, was addressing public meetings aimed at what was called exposing the communal attitude of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government.
