Akbaruddin Owaisi walks free after Hyderabad court acquits him in hate speech case
The arguments in the case concluded on April 7 and the court posted the matter for judgment on April 12 but was delayed by a day.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 13 April 2022 9:16 AM GMT
Hyderabad: Special Sessions Court for the trial of MPs and MLAs on Wednesday acquitted AIMIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi's `hate speech' case after giving the benefit of the doubt.
Judge K Jayakumar cautioned him against making provocative speeches and asked him not to organise celebrations af ter being acquitted. The judge pointed out that only select portions of his speeches were produced in the videos that were presented as evidence which was insufficient to prove him guilty of the crime.
The arguments in the case concluded on April 7 and the court posted the matter for judgment on April 12 but was delayed by a day.
Akbaruddin Owaisi, the younger brother of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, was booked under relevant sections of the IPC for making a "hate" speech. He allegedly used inflammatory and derogatory language against a community at a public meeting in Nirmal town in December 2012.
Nirmal town police had booked the legislator and party town president Azeem Bin Yahiya under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy),153-A (promoting enmity between two groups based on religion), 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 298 (deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of IPC.
The court has examined as many as 38 witnesses in the case and the prosecution has also filed a forensic report obtained from the Chandigarh FSL in connection with the video recording.
Akbaruddin Owaisi, floor leader of AIMIM in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, was earlier arrested and later released on bail.
AIMIM legislator along with the then district party president Azeem-Bin-Yahiya was present in the court.
Before the judgment police security has been increased in the old city. Taskforce personnel have been deployed in various parts of the old part of Hyderabad ahead of the verdict. Police presence has also been increased in nine sensitive areas.
Senior police officials are monitoring the situation at Charminar, Mecca Masjid, and Chandrayangutta assembly constituencies represented by Akbar. The police have taken precautionary measures to ensure peace and security.
