The Second Metropolitan Magistrate, Ranga Reddy district, on Monday ordered the LB Nagar Police to register a case against MIM legislator Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri.
The court was acting on a petition filed by one M.P. Bhargav who maintained that the legislator’s reported comments against Mahatma Gandhi had hurt people’s sentiments. The magistrate also directed police to book a case and file the status report by February 8.
The registration of a fresh case at the LB Nagar police station strengthened the argument that Mr. Quadri is likely to be arrested shortly. The Karimnagar Police have already booked a case against him. In another case, the seventh Metropolitan Magistrate Court directed the Vanasthalipuram Police to book a case against MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi for his alleged hate speech in Nirmal. The petition was filed by one Dr. Prabhakar Goud.
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CLMC condemns arrest
The Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) has alleged that MIM President and MP Asaduddin Owaisi was being hounded by the government only because his party had severed ties with the ruling Congress. In a statement here on Monday, CLMC General Secretary Lateef Mohammed Khan termed the arrest a case of ‘political vendetta’. The Congress is using the government mechanism to victimise MIM leaders and suppress the party, Mr. Khan said.
He added that the case against Mr. Owaisi was registered for protesting the demolition of a Masjid to facilitate road widening in 2005. Even as the government is reopening old cases and registering new ones against the MIM leaders, those from other parties are being let off. This despite they facing similar charges, Mr. Khan alleged.
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The CLMC demanded that the Central Government immediately intervene and resolve the situation.