Akbar Owaisi returns to Hyderabad

Akbar Owaisi arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here around 3 a.m. to a warm welcome by MIM leaders and hundreds of supporters. He later drove to his house in the Banjara Hills area of the city.

The MIM legislator will appear before police in Nirmal town in Adilabad district, about 200 km from here, later in the day in response to a notice issued to him for recording his statement in connection with the alleged hate speech he delivered in the town while addressing a public meeting.

As the MIM leader faces arrest and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its frontal organisations continuing their protests, police stepped up security in Nirmal town and also in the old city of Hyderabad. Prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons were imposed in Nirmal.

The BJP has called for a shutdown in Nirmal, where police mobilized additional forces to maintain peace.

A police official said that all routes to the town were sealed off and vehicles were being thoroughly checked to prevent any untoward incident. Akbar Owaisi, is likely to appear before police along with his elder brother and MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and his lawyer.

The police in Nirmal last week booked the 42-year-old MIM leader under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 121 (waging or attempting to wage war against the state), Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and Section 295A (for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

The Nizamabad police, which booked Akbar Owaisi under Section 153A and 295A of the IPC, have also directed him to appear before them Jan 8 for questioning with regard to a speech made by him in the town.

The Osmania University police in Hyderabad, which registered a case at the directions of a city court, has also summoned the legislator Jan 10.