India
The Delhi court issued the directions on a protest petition filed by the main complainant Ajay Gautam against the Delhi police's closure report
New Delhi: Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Tuesday ordered further investigation into an FIR filed against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in alleged hate speech delivered by him in 2014.
The court issued the directions on a protest petition filed by main complainant Ajay Gautam against the Delhi police's closure report. Gautam alleged that during the past three years, the police did not seek to record his statement and no investigation was conducted.
Gautam had filed an FIR in February 2015 alleging that in June 2014 Owaisi had used "derogatory" and "inflammatory" words to describe the Central government.
In an order on Monday, Metropolitan Magistrate Prayank Nayak asked an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to supervise the investigation so as to avoid any further delay in the matter.
"It is also expected for the police to take all the available provisions in order to find out about the video on the basis of which the present case was filed," the court said in its order.
On Monday, Owaisi called on Dalits, Adivasis, and Muslims, asking them to come together to reject national parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The FIR against Owaisi was registered under Indian Penal Court sections of 120B (Criminal conspiracy), 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) in addition with sections 66A, 66F and 67 of Information Technology act.
The next hearing in the matter is likely to take place on March 26.
There has been a history of alleged hate speeches delivered by Owaisi. Even his brother Akbaruddin Owaisi has been seen in various videos making objectionable and communally-loaded statements.
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