IANS/Hyderabad
A court in Nirmal town of Andhra Pradesh yesterday sent MIM (Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi to five-day police custody in a hate speech case.
The magistrate’s court in Nirmal town of Adilabad district, about 200km from here, pronounced the orders, remanding the legislator to police custody.
The MIM leader was on Wednesday sent to judicial custody for 14 days and is currently lodged in a district jail in Adilabad, some 90km from Nirmal.
Though the police sought Owaisi ‘s custody for seven days for further questioning with regard to his December 22 speech in Nirmal town, the court granted a five-day custody.
Police will question Owaisi for five days from today, every day between 10am to 5pm. It was not immediately clear if the police would question him in Adilabad or bring him to Nirmal town.
The member of the Andhra Pradesh state assembly has been charged with sedition, waging war against the nation, criminal conspiracy and other offences.
While seeking the legislator’s custody, police said he did not co-operate during the questioning after his arrest and they needed to further grill him.
Owaisi ‘s lawyer opposed the police petition on the ground that he was unwell.
The magistrate directed the police to provide necessary medical help and not subject him to physical or mental torture.
The court adjourned to January 16 hearing on Owaisi’s petition, seeking special prisoner status for the legislator.
Meanwhile, the MIM leader continues to face more cases. A court in Anantapur admitted a petition filed by some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, seeking action against him for his provocative speeches.
The court adjourned the hearing to January 16. In another development, a court in Hyderabad directed Mangalhat police station to conduct investigations and submit a report by February 11.